Gov. Evers Hopes to Have Pardon Advisory Board in Place By Summer

 Posted on May 14, 2019 in Criminal Defense

With Governor Tony Evers in office, many people in Wisconsin are excited that pardons will be available once again. Unfortunately, the process of granting pardons to Wisconsin residents has gotten off to a slow start. Governor Evers, who promised during the campaign to issue pardons, said that he is “disappointed” that his administration has not set up the Pardon Advisory Board nearly four months into his term.

The Pardon Advisory Board will be made up of about 15 people who will review applications from felons and make recommendations to the governor. Gov. Evers said that he has a team of three lawyers who are working to revive the pardons review board and is hopeful that the Pardon Advisory Board will be operational by summer. Evers explained that his lawyers have not had enough time to resolve this pardon issue because they have been busy focusing on legal challenges to the lame-duck legislative session Republicans started in December.

Despite these challenges, Governor Evers said that forming the Pardon Advisory Board was “exceedingly important” and that it would be his “top priority.” Evers made these statements while campaigning with residents from all over Wisconsin -- not just the urban areas -- who made it clear that they were interested in allowing for the consideration of pardons.

Wisconsin citizens have shown that they are very interested in pardons. As of March 2019, the governor’s office reported that it had received over 1,000 pardon inquiries. This heightened interest in pardons is likely due to the fact that pardons have been unavailable in Wisconsin for many years. Wisconsin’s previous governor, Scott Walker, refused to entertain pardon requests and had disbanded the Pardon Advisory Board. Walker said that he believed the criminal justice system was the best arbiter of guilt or innocence. 

As opposed to Walker, Governor Evers supports the use of pardons. Gov. Evers stated that in some cases, giving someone a second chance is the just thing to do: “I believe in redemption. Some people do some bad things, and if they’ve straightened their life out, we have to be willing to give them a second chance.”

Contact a Milwaukee, WI Pardons Lawyer

If you are interested in pursuing a pardon for yourself or a loved one, the time to act is now. To succeed, your application to the Pardon Advisory Board must be complete and persuasive. The Milwaukee criminal pardon attorneys at our firm can help you make your best case, giving you the greatest chance at a favorable outcome. A pardon can give someone a new lease on life and open up new opportunities. To get started, call our law firm today at 414-271-1440.

Sources:

https://www.channel3000.com/news/granting-second-chances-gov-evers-plans-to-restore-pardons-in-wisconsin-giving-hope-to-offenders/1075814852

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2019-04-24/evers-disappointed-pardons-board-not-yet-revived