Pardon/Clemency - People vs. J.P.

- Salvatore C. Miglore was retained by a Non-US Citizen/legal resident, after she plead guilty to one Cook County Misdemeanor Theft, and was found guilty of a Felony Theft, after a trial in DuPage County, in another unrelated theft charge, shortly after the first conviction. The client faced deportation/removal from the United States, and the loss of her legal residency status from the Department of Homeland Security, due to the above criminal convictions. Furthermore, the time to appeal the conviction was long gone at the time she retained Salvatore C. Miglore; and unfortunately, neither offense could be sealed or expunged. Therefore, the only remedy was to seek an Executive Pardon or Clemency from the Governor of the State of Illinois. Thereafter, the Petition for Pardon was filed and a hearing took place in Springfield, Illinois, before a three member panel of the prison review board, whom provided a recommendation to the Governor, as to whether to grant or deny the pardon. Unfortunately, the right to a decision provides for no time period upon which a decision must be provided. As such, the remedy is solely in the “sound” discretion of the Governor. In conclusion, after the evidence was presented and the arguments offered, Governor Patrick Quinn granted a full Pardon with a complete expungement of both charges, 5 years after the hearing concluded. As a result, the Defendant was completely exonerated and her record was cleared.