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What specifically is a Governor's Pardon, and what does it do?

Why should I hire you instead of someone else?

Does a Pardon restore a convicted felon's right to own a firearm?

What about getting a Concealed Carry Permit?

How can a Pardon help a convicted felon get a job?

What are the requirements to qualify for a Pardon, and how long does a pardon take?

Will a Pardon erase a convicted felon's criminal record? What is the difference between an expungement and a pardon?

Can I apply for a Pardon for only the conviction that matters to me, or do I have to apply on all of them?

What specifically is a Governor's Pardon, and what does it do?

A Governor's Pardon is an official statement of forgiveness from the State of Oklahoma, for a crime or crimes. It represents the Governor and the Pardon & Parole Board's opinion that a convicted felon has "paid their dues" for their criminal past, and that they are welcomed back into the full rights of citizenship.

Day to day, a Governor's Pardon can help a convicted felon do the following:

• Own a firearm (non-violent felonies only);

• Erase their criminal record with an expungement;

• Get a concealed carry license;

• Become a gunsmith or firearm repairman;

• Get a job despite the felony conviction;

• Get a liquor, nursing, or other professional license;

• Get a hazmat and other specialist endorsements on their CDL;

• Be a juror and hold public office;

• Vote in state and federal elections;

• Travel internationally;

Why should I hire you instead of someone else?

Does a Pardon restore a convicted felon's right to own a firearm?

Yes, a Governor's Pardon restores the right to own a firearm, along with the right to perform the duties of a peace officer, gunsmith, or firearms repairman.

However, if you were convicted of one of the violent felonies listed below, your gun rights are not restored after a Governor's Pardon. (List updated as of April, 2021.)

• a. assault, battery, or assault and battery with a dangerous or deadly weapon, as provided for in Sections 645 and 652 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  b. assault, battery, or assault and battery with a deadly weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm, as provided for in Section 652 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  c. aggravated assault and battery on a police officer, sheriff, highway patrolman, or any other officer of the law, as provided for in Section 650 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  d. poisoning with intent to kill, as provided for in Section 651 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  e. shooting with intent to kill, as provided for in Section 652 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  f. assault with intent to kill, as provided for in Section 653 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  g. assault with intent to commit a felony, as provided for in Section 681 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  h. assaults with a dangerous weapon while masked or disguised, as provided for in Section 1303 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  i. murder in the first degree, as provided for in Section 701.7 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  j. murder in the second degree, as provided for in Section 701.8 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  k. manslaughter in the first degree, as provided for in Section 711 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  l. manslaughter in the second degree, as provided for in Section 716 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  m. kidnapping, as provided for in Section 741 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  n. burglary in the first degree, as provided for in Section 1431 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  o. burglary with explosives, as provided for in Section 1441 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  p. kidnapping for extortion, as provided for in Section 745 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  q. maiming, as provided for in Section 751 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  r. robbery, as provided for in Section 791 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  s. robbery in the first degree, as provided for in Section 797 et seq. of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  t. robbery in the second degree, as provided for in Section 797 et seq. of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  u. armed robbery, as provided for in Section 801 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  v. robbery by two or more persons, as provided for in Section 800 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  w. robbery with dangerous weapon or imitation firearm, as provided for in Section 801 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  x. child abuse, as provided for in Section 843.5 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  y. wiring any equipment, vehicle or structure with explosives, as provided for in Section 849 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  z. forcible sodomy, as provided for in Section 888 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  aa. rape in the first degree, as provided for in Section 1114 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  bb. rape in the second degree, as provided for in Section 1114 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  cc. rape by instrumentation, as provided for in Section 1111.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  dd. lewd or indecent proposition or lewd or indecent act with a child under sixteen (16) years of age, as provided for in Section 1123 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ee. use of a firearm or offensive weapon to commit or attempt to commit a felony, as provided for in Section 1287 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ff. pointing firearms, as provided for in Section 1279 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  gg. rioting, as provided for in Section 1311 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  hh. inciting to riot, as provided for in Section 1320.2 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ii. arson in the first degree, as provided for in Section 1401 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  jj. injuring or burning public buildings, as provided for in Section 349 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  kk. sabotage, as provided for in Section 1262 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ll. criminal syndicalism, as provided for in Section 1261 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  mm. extortion, as provided for in Section 1481 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  nn. obtaining signature by extortion, as provided for in Section 1485 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  oo. seizure of a bus, discharging firearm or hurling missile at bus, as provided for in Section 1903 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  pp. mistreatment of a mental patient, as provided for in Section 843.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  qq. using a vehicle to facilitate the discharge of a weapon pursuant to Section 652 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  rr. bombing offenses as defined in Section 1767.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ss. child pornography or aggravated child pornography as defined in Section 1021.2, 1021.3, 1024.1 or 1040.12a of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  tt. child prostitution as defined in Section 1030 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  uu. abuse of a vulnerable adult as defined in Section 10-103 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes who is a resident of a nursing facility,

  vv. aggravated trafficking as provided for in subsection C of Section 2-415 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  ww. aggravated assault and battery upon any person defending another person from assault and battery, as provided for in Section 646 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  xx. human trafficking, as provided for in Section 748 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  yy. terrorism crimes as provided in Section 1268 et seq. of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes,

  zz. eluding a peace officer, as provided for in subsection B or C of Section 540A of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or

  aaa. domestic abuse by strangulation, domestic assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, or domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon, as provided for in Section 644 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

What about getting a Concealed Carry Permit?

A pardon restores the right of a convicted felon to apply for a concealed handgun permit under the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act. Again, the conviction must not have been for any of the "violent felonies" listed above, and the applicant meet all other requirements of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act.

How can a Pardon help a convicted felon get a job?

After your receive a pardon, your criminal record will be updated to show that you have been pardoned, in both the Court records of your case and on your OSBI background check. When employers pull your background, they will immediately see that you have been pardoned of your crimes by the Governor, and they will look on your felony conviction in a much better light. Based on feedback from prior Clients, a pardon is very helpful in obtaining employment after a felony conviction, especially with larger companies and the state.

Also, a pardon is required for convicted felons to hold professional licenses required for employment - such as a liquor license; nursing, and other healthcare licenses; and hazmat and other specialist endorsements on a commercial driver's license (CDL), among others. For convicted felons who seek employment in fields that require a license, a pardon is a necessity.

Lastly, a Pardon greatly assists in the expungement of a felony conviction. Not only can it make you qualify earlier than you normally would, it also makes law enforcement less likely to object to your request. An expungement erases the crime from your criminal record, and allows you to deny that the crime ever occurred, and so is very helpful in getting and keeping a job.

What are the requirements to qualify for a Pardon, and how long does a pardon take?

As of July 2021, the requirements for a Governor’s Pardon are as follows:

• You have been convicted of a violation of Oklahoma law, either a felony or a misdemeanor.

• You have no pending charges.

• You are not currently in jail or prison.

• You have discharged all sentences, or successfully completed parole or a suspended sentence.

• You cannot have been considered or investigated for a pardon within the past year.

In terms of how long the process can take, remember that when you apply for a pardon, you are essentially asking the Pardon & Parole Board and the Governor for a favor. As such, the entire process moves at a slower pace, and can take up to a year.

First, there is the Investigation: after the Application is completed and submitted, the Pardon & Parole Board will then assign an investigating officer to review what was submitted and ensure that the person qualifies for a pardon. The Officer then submits their recommendation as to qualification to the Pardon & Parole Board.

Second is the Pardon & Parole Board docket: The Board meets once a month. After the investigation is complete, it typically takes six to nine months to get on one of the Board's dockets. At the docket, which requires an in-person or virtual appearance, the Board will consider the reasons that a person is looking for a Pardon and discuss any concerns they might have with the Applicant. The Board will then make a recommendation to the Governor.

Finally, the Governor: The Governor and their staff will perform a paper-only review of the Application, and make the final decision without any other input. The Governor generally renders their decision within 90 days of receiving a recommendation from the Board.

Will a Pardon erase a convicted felon's criminal record? What is the difference between an expungement and a pardon?

No, a Pardon does not erase your criminal record. A Pardon represents official forgiveness from the Governor and the Pardon & Parole Board for a criminal record, but the record still remains. Only an expungement will clear a convicted felon's criminal record. Said another way, an expungement erases or improves criminal records, while a pardon restores the civil rights that you lose after a felony conviction (such as your 2nd Amendment rights).

Can I apply for a Pardon for only the conviction that matters to me, or do I have to apply on all of them?

You have to apply for a Pardon on all of your convictions. In both misdemeanor and felony cases, a "conviction" can include the following: pleading guilty and just paying a fine without probation, being sentenced to jail time, and getting a suspended sentence (a type of probation), among other things.

Failure to include all convictions in your Pardon application can be grounds for denial, so it is especially important that you hire an attorney who can find your entire criminal record.