In some circumstances, the governor could commute their sentence. Illinois permits offenders to petition the governor for clemency through the State of Illinois Prisoner Review Board. The various types of clemency include commutation of sentence, pardon, expungement or reprieve.

While an attorney is not required, it is well worth considering getting one on board. To apply for commutation, you must submit a Petition for Executive Clemency along with supporting documentation. While just about anyone can fill out the petition, knowing how to present your loved one’s case can be a bit tricky. Be aware that the state’s attorney will likely protest any leniency, and the victim’s family may attend any hearing to protest early release in full force. Furthermore, it is best to avoid protests of innocence, which are almost never successful. An attorney can evaluate your loved one’s case and present the most positive arguments for an early release.

Upon submitting the petition, you may request a hearing before the Prisoner Review Board in either Chicago or Springfield. If a hearing is selected, the defendant will not be allowed to attend. The board will likely have questions and they will listen carefully to any answers. In my practice, I have watched unrepresented parties damage their loved one’s chance of commutation through ill-considered comments. The son of one defendant even chastised a victim’s daughter. As such, an articulate spokesperson who can make the case for your loved one’s release is essential. An experienced attorney can help prepare the testimony of witnesses to make a good impression as well.

If your loved one accepts responsibility for what happened and has a clean record during his or her years of detention, you may have grounds for a successful petition to commute the sentence to time served.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, 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.)

The post CAN A LIFE SENTENCE IN PRISON BE COMMUTED IN ILLINOIS? appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.

So what’s left? Your last chance at a clean start may be to apply for a pardon. Luckily, in Illinois, that just got easier.

Under former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, clemency petitions sat gathering dust in state file drawers. One group of petitioners even sued the governor for taking too long to address their cases, in some instances as long as five years without a response. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92905086) Add to that, between 2003 and 2008, Blagojevich granted only 67 pardons, while denying 1,160. (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-06-23/news/0806230096_1_pardon-clemency-petitions-executive-clemency)

But Governor Pat Quinn has been actively working through a 2,500 case backlog, and at least one-third of those petitioners have had cause to celebrate. As of September 2, 2011, Governor Quinn pardoned 591 out of 1529 clemency petitioners.

To apply for a pardon, you must complete a Petition for Executive Clemency with the Illinois State Prisoner Review Board, and you may need to request a hearing. In the Petition, you will need to provide supporting documentation and a personal narrative about why you deserve the pardon. An experienced attorney can be invaluable in helping you present your situation in the best possible light.

Once you file the Petition, the Prisoner Review Board checks to see if it is complete. If not, they will notify you that you need to provide more information. Once the petition is completed, it is placed on the Board’s docket. Currently hearings take place twice a year in Chicago and twice a year in Springfield, depending on when you file. You may choose to have a public or nonpublic hearing. After the Board has reviewed your case, it makes a recommendation to the governor, who then decides whether to grant the pardon.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, 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.)

The post PARDON ME!: CLEMENCY PETITIONERS NOW HAVE A CHANCE IN ILLINOIS appeared first on A SKOKIE CRIMINAL LAWYER EXPLAINS THE LAW 1-847-568-0160.