We receive lots of questions from forum participants and those who contact the Team regarding their individual situations - here we've listed a couple of the most commonly asked questions. If you don't see your question listed, please feel free to contact us by clicking on the "Contact Us" link at left and send us your question via email.

For more information on the Connecticut Pardon Team's organizers and staff trainers, click here.

Do you charge for your services?
We don't charge for our services. Our informational forums are where you can pick up a copy of the Pardon application packet and hear immediately applicable information on how to complete and submit the package. That's Phase 1 of our Pardon Assistance Program.

When you're ready to move forward, you begin Phase II of the Pardon Assistance Program, which consists of public speaking coaching, self-esteem and self-confidence training, and personal presentation services to help you put your best foot forward at your hearing.

We help to educate you about community service and volunteer opportunities that will enable you to give back to your community.

We don't charge for our services. The Connecticut Pardon Team is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, and uses grant funds and contributions from supporters.

Our goal is to provide the information and tools that people affected by prior convictions need without adding cost as a concern. Other companies offering similar services charge thousands and thousands of dollars. We believe that convicted persons have already paid a pretty high price for their mistakes and refuse to add to their financial burden. We do accept contributions via our website and through in-person contributions made at our public events. All financial support is greatly appreciated.

How long does it take to prepare a Pardon package?
It takes about 2 - 4 weeks to get all of your information together, and then you must write a personal statement and get at least 3 letters of reference. If you are diligent and put in an hour or so a day, you can get your package prepared in a reasonable amount of time and be ready to submit your package on time.

This is not a process that should be rushed to meet a deadline. It's far better to give yourself up to 6 months to complete the process - starting in January for a May submission deadline - than to try and rush the process and have your application denied, which will force you to wait another year or more to re-apply.

I work at / am affiliated with a Connecticut-based social service / human service agency whose constituent population could use information about the Pardon process. Can you come to our agency / office to talk about the program and / or train our staff?
We are pleased to set up informational presentations for social and human service agencies whose constituent population might benefit from our Pardon Assistance Program. The more information we get into the hands of the individuals who need it, the more people we can help. While we encourage anyone interested in the process to download the Pardon Application Package from our website, the Forum and follow-up sessions provide the in-depth, personalized assistance that will increase your chances of success.

Informational workshops or in-service training for compatible community organizations can be arranged by emailing us at info(at)connecticutpardonteam.org. We'll return your email within 3 business days with information on how you can host a Provider Presentation at your organization, including costs and space requirements.

Is an attorney required to file a pardon application?
The pardon process does not require an attorney - the forms and instructions are available to the general public via the Internet or by requesting the forms from the Board of Pardons and Parole.

Since you still have to write a personal statement and ask for the personal reference letters, you will be intimately involved in every aspect of preparing the pardon application. We believe that personal involvement in this process is critical to it's success. The effort you put forth in preparing the application and the supporting documentation is essential to your ability to communicate your change in status to the Pardons & Parole Board during your hearing appointment. The Pardons & Parole Board wants to see YOUR effort, hear YOUR words, and know that YOU really wanted the pardon enough to work for it.

If you have convictions in multiple states and have no friends or family members residing there that could help you with record retrieval, you will either have to travel to those jurisdictions, or contact them to do the record retrieval long-distance. Be prepared for this to take a longer period of time and involved some additional cost.

Do I have to list all of my arrests and offenses on my Pardons application, even juvenile offenses and nollies?
You must list all offenses you have been convicted of, and while someone can always make a technical argument for omitting arrests not resulting in convictions, it is always best to be completely honest with Board of Pardons and Paroles and acknowledge all arrests.

What if I can't remember the exact dates of all my arrests? 
Your 'hit' sheet from the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification should contain the exact dates of your arrests, but if something is missing from your sheet, be sure to put your best estimates on your Pardons application so the Board of Pardons and Paroles will have something to work with. 

What if I have charges from other states? 
The State of Connecticut only has jurisdiction over crimes prosecuted by the State of Connecticut, and cannot pardon crimes that were prosecuted by other states.  To obtain a pardon for a charge in other state, one would have to apply for a pardon in that state.

What if I have federal charges?
Federal charges can only be pardoned by the President of the United States. For more information on Federal pardons please click on this link. 

What is the difference an Expungement Pardon and a Provisional Pardon?
An Expungement Pardon actually erases your criminal record, while a Provisional Pardon does not. A Provisional Pardon provides a letter from the State of Connecticut wherein the applicant is deemed fit for particular types of employment.   

What happens after I submit my application to the Board of Pardons and Paroles?
The Board of Pardons and Paroles will pre-screen your application and decide whether to grant you a full Pardons hearing or not. If you are denied a full hearing you will receive a letter stating the reason(s) why, and in some cases a recommended period of time before you should reapply. If you are granted a full hearing you will receive a letter with the date, time, and location of where to attend your hearing. You must attend the hearing at the prescribed time if your application is to remain under consideration.

How long does it take to clear my record once I've received a Pardon?
That can be the most difficult part of this process - the waiting. Once you have attended the hearing, you'll be told fairly quickly if your petition is approved or denied. The letter stating that you have received your pardon will take a bit longer to arrive. Once the letter arrives, it will have instructions on what your next actions should be. Realistically - once you receive your pardon, it takes at least 8 months and could take up to 12 - 18 months to completely clear your record, and even after that, you should be prepared to do your own record checks to be sure all of the information was purged.

Don't see your question here? Click on the 'Contact Us' link on the left and send us your question - if it's one that will benefit a majority of applicants, you'll see it and the answer posted here. In any case, you will receive an answer to your question within 2 - 3 business days.