Crime & Traffic

A clemency petition is a formal, typewritten request to the governor for relief in a criminal case. This can include a pardon, a commutation to shorten a sentence, or permission to expunge To physically remove someone's name from a legal record. a record. The information below explains what to include in a petition. For more details about the clemency process, see this guide on executive clemency in Illinois.

Before you begin

Before preparing a clemency petition, download and read the Prisoner Review Board’s Guidelines for Executive Clemency. They explain exactly what must be included. The PRB also offers a fillable sample form, but petitions must be typed and written as detailed essays. Fill-in-the-blank forms are not accepted. The sample form may not work if you are asking for clemency in more than one case.

To complete your petition, you will need copies of your criminal records. Learn more about getting your criminal record. If you are incarcerated, this requirement does not apply to you.

The Illinois Prison Project also offers free tools to help you, including handbooks and templates for pardon and commutation petitions, as well as a virtual legal clinic held twice a month.

What to include

Your detailed petition must include the following:

1. General information: Your name, address, phone number, date and place of birth, Social Security number, A number that the federal government gives to each U.S. citizen. It keeps track of their earnings and retirement benefits. other names used, IDOC number (if any), military discharge (if any), and whether you asked for clemency before. If something does not apply, say so. If you would like a public hearing, When the parties in a case present their sides of a case to a judge or other officer request it in this section. It is usually a good idea to ask for one because it gives the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) a chance to see you and your supporters in person and better understand your petition.
2. Details about the convictions for which you are seeking clemency: A complete list of all convictions you want pardoned or commuted. Include case numbers, arrest dates, offenses, county, judge, trial When the issues of a case are heard in court and decided by a judge or jury type, plea, A person's formal answer of guilty, not guilty, or no contest to the charges against them sentencing, discharge dates, and appeal A request to change a court's decision status. Write a brief account of each offense in your own words, including the date, location, who was involved, and why it happened.
3. Information about your other criminal history: List every incident for which you were arrested, taken into custody, or charged by any law enforcement agency, including those in other states and serious traffic offenses like DUI or reckless driving. For each incident, include the arrest date, outcome or disposition, A court’s final decision in a criminal case case number, A number assigned to a case that is on every paper filed in the case county, and the end date of any supervision or probation. A criminal court sentence which releases a person into the community. They are under supervision and given certain conditions. If you were convicted, you must include a brief description of what happened. For cases that did not result in a conviction, When someone is declared guilty of a crime by a court a description is not required, although you may include an explanation if you choose. Get copies of your criminal record and review it carefully. The state’s attorney will run state and federal checks, so leaving anything out can hurt your chances.
4. Personal life history: Provide a full, honest overview of your life from birth through today. Include your education, jobs, family status (such as children or marriage), military service, and any rehabilitation, counseling, or community engagement. Mention challenges you have overcome and include any diplomas, certificates, letters of support, or military records like a DD-214. This helps the PRB and the governor see the person behind the record. For more examples and guidance, see the IPP Pardon Petition Handbook.
5. Reasons for asking for clemency: Explain why you are asking for clemency now and how it would help you and your family. If you are applying for a commutation, talk about how you feel about past mistakes, how you have worked to improve yourself, and your readiness for release. If you are applying for an expungement, When a criminal record is destroyed be specific about how your record has affected your life, such as problems finding work, housing, or getting a license. Mention where you have applied, your qualifications, and what opportunities you missed because of your record. Highlight the positive changes you have made and why you deserve clemency.
6. Select the type of clemency you are asking for: You may ask for commutation of sentence, pardon, expungement, pardon and expungement without firearm privileges, or pardon and expungement with firearm privileges. Learn more about what these remedies mean.
7. Supporting documents: Attach items that support your petition, such as a DD-214, RAP sheet, resume, diplomas, or certificates. Include letters of support with contact information that explain who the writer is, how they know you, and what they have seen about your growth, character, and positive impact. Typed letters are usually easier to read, but handwritten letters of support are also accepted. You may choose to include documents from your case to support your statement of facts, Any written or oral list of facts in a court case but this is not required.

How to organize your petition

Label each section clearly with its title, such as “Personal Life History.” Make sure every part is complete. The Prisoner Review Board may return incomplete petitions, which can delay or stop the clemency process.

Perjury statement

At the end of your petition, you must include this statement: “I declare under penalty of perjury When someone promises to tell the truth in a court case, and then tells a lie that all assertions made within this petition are complete, truthful, and accurate.”

Sign and date the statement in front of a notary. The PRB requires it to be notarized unless they announce otherwise, so always check their website for current rules. Committing perjury is a felony. A serious crime that is punishable by more than one year in prison When you sign this statement, you are promising under penalty of perjury that everything in it is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge.

Witness list

If you want witnesses to testify To answer questions under oath at your public hearing, include their full names and home addresses in your petition. You may have up to four witnesses.