I'm looking for a lawyer to represent me during a pardon process. I have 2 basic no accident DUI's dating back 10 years

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I’m sorry to hear you are having these problems with your legal issue. I know that can be frustrating. However, we can get this resolved quickly.

What question did you have about a pardon here?

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Ok! I just need a little time to do some research and draft up a high-quality answer. I'll be with you as soon as possible. It won't be terribly long!

I’m sorry to hear about your issues here, hopefully, we can solve them quickly.

You are correct. Generally, the only way to remove a felony or misdemeanor conviction from your record in Pennsylvania is by receiving a pardon from the Governor. These convictions cannot be expunged by a court, unless you are over 70 years old and meet other conditions.

There are no definite standards for when a pardon will be given, but the majority of people who receive pardons have a record of only one minor offense that was committed at least 5 years ago, or a more serious offense that was committed at least 10 years ago.

The first step is to send a short letter to the Board of Pardons (BOP) requesting an application for a hearing, which it sounds like you already have.

You will be required to order your complete criminal history from the PA State Police. It can take as long as 6 months for this record to be sent to you, so you should send away for it as soon as you begin the pardon application process. You will also need to request your Full Driving History from the PA Department of Transportation and get one color passport-sized photo.

Once you have completed your application and attached all of the information required, with 5 copies, then you must send it in with your fee.

Assuming your application is complete, the Board will file your application within 2-4 months of receiving it.

About 2 years after the Board files the application, a state parole agent will interview you at your home, to collect information to determine whether you are "a responsible, contributing member of society."

After the interview, the board will review the application and interview details. To get a hearing, generally at least two members of the Board must vote to grant you one. It typically takes one year until the Board decides whether or not to grant you a public hearing. If the Board does not grant you a hearing, your application has been denied. If you are granted a hearing, it is held within the next couple of months.

So yes, it is an incredibly lengthy. It could take multiple years to get a pardon.

And that is correct. Your strongest chances are with a lawyer who has done this before and has the experience of what to attach or say in the application to give you the best chances. It is worth the money. You can find a highly-rated local lawyer on a lawyer review site like Avvo.com for your city. You can also use https://find.lawyer.com/justanswer.php?1 which will get you a free consultation and 25% off legal fees for being a JustAnswer member. If you cannot afford a lawyer and are low/no income, you can search your county legal aid office on Google for their contact information and contact them for some free legal help.

Please let me know if this has answered your question fully. I hope this information is helpful to you. If you need additional assistance or have follow-up questions, please reply to my message below, and I will respond as soon as I can.

I understand.  I would start now and certainly use a lawyer as it can take yers to get one.

Great! You're very welcome and it was my pleasure.

It was my pleasure to work with you and help with your question. If you ever need to reach me in the future, you can post a new question with the title "ForCustomer or just add me as a favorite Expert. You'll have the option to do that on your "My Questions” page.

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Thanks.