Executive Clemency refers to the constitutional power given to the Governor of the State of Maine under Article V, Part First, Section 11, of the Maine State Constitution that allows said Governor the lawful power following a criminal conviction to grant a pardon. Both misdemeanors and felony convictions have the possibility of receiving Executive Clemency. A pardon officially forgives an individual for a crime or crimes. If granted Executive Clemency all criminal convictions will appear as non-conviction data. An individual’s criminal record is not expunged or erased; the arrest record still remains public information.
Executive Clemency, or pardon, can only be granted by the Governor of the state of Maine. There is a formal petition process with strict eligibility requirements. The application process and its required documents must be present and fully completed in order for a petition for pardon to be considered.
An Executive Clemency of criminal convictions, or pardon, can greatly improve the future success of an individual. While an arrest record and non-conviction data is available to the public, an Executive Order of Clemency indicates that said individual has been rehabilitated in the eyes of the state. Clemency can allow individuals to obtain employment, educational, and social opportunities that an individual may have been previously barred from.