Pardon, Parole & Commutation

Pardon

Under Oklahoma law, a pardon restores your civil liberties, but will not clear the conviction from your record or prevent your criminal record from being considered for employment or other matters. However, certain circumstances allow for criminal record expungement.

For instance, a person who was under 18 years old at the time the offense was committed and who has received a pardon may seek to have their record expunged, see Title 22 O.S. § 18. Additionally, any person convicted of less than two (2) nonviolent felony offenses and has received a full pardon for those offenses with no pending charges may file a motion for expungement twenty (20) years after the last conviction.

Please note: The Governor of Oklahoma can only pardon state convictions, not those of federal offense or another state. Additionally, the Pardon and Parole Board is not involved in the expungement process and cannot provide legal advice on the matter. Instead, you will need to seek advice from an independent source such as an attorney or legal counselor.

Parole

Parole is the conditional release of an inmate from prison during which rules and conditions must be followed or the offender can be revoked and returned to prison to serve the remaining portion of the sentence.

Pursuant to Title 57, Section 332.7(B) of Oklahoma Statutes, for a crime committed after July 1, 1998, any person (except those convicted of 85% Crimes- see below) in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections shall be eligible for parole consideration after completing one-third (1/3) of his/her sentence. If your loved one is up for parole, he/she will need an experienced attorney to advocate on his/her behalf before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board.

Commutation

A commutation is the ability to substitute a sentence imposed at conviction for a reduced or lesser one.