You had a conviction for aggravated battery 25 years ago. You even served a few months in jail before your attorney made a deal for probation. Now you want to seek a pardon, and you want the Illinois Prisoner Review Board to know that you are ill enough to go on disability.
Do serious health problems make you a better candidate for a pardon?
In truth, there are two sides to this issue. On the one hand, you may come across as a less threatening person now that you have serious physical limitations. On the other hand, the Illinois Board is often more sympathetic to people who genuinely need a pardon so that they can get a better job–and people on disability do not typically have to worry about that challenge.
That said, your health is just one of many issues that may be relevant to a pardon petition. If you can show how well you have reformed and that your criminal conviction is holding you back in some other way, the Board, and ultimately the Governor, may be willing to grant your petition.
If you have questions about the process of applying for a pardon, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.
(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)
