A Minnesota criminal conviction can have lasting effects on your ability to make a good life for yourself and your family. A criminal record can prevent you from obtaining housing or finding a decent job. While many convictions are eligible to be expunged in Minnesota, some are not; if you are looking for some relief from your record and cannot expunge your conviction, you may be able to have the conviction pardoned.
The Board of Pardons holds the authority to grant clemency in the state of Minnesota. The Board consists of three members: the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In Minnesota, each of the three members of the Board has an equal vote and in order to be granted, the vote for clemency must be unanimous.
In Minnesota the Board of Pardons jurisdiction only extends to criminal convictions that took place in a Minnesota District court. Therefore, to apply for a pardon in Minnesota, you must have been convicted of a crime (not a petty misdemeanor) and it must be a state conviction (not federal).
There is also a waiting period that must be satisfied. The waiting period is 10 years from the date of discharge from crimes of violence and five years from the date of discharge for all other crimes. New violations cause the waiting period to start over, but the length of the waiting period –whether it is five years or ten years - is still determined by the original, underlying conviction.
Find out today if you meet the eligibility requirements for a pardon in Minnesota by taking our free online eligibility test here.
The pardon application in Minnesota requires that you include all criminal convictions, including those out of state. Additionally, with the application you must submit three letters of recommendation. The Board of Pardons meets twice a year to review and decide applications. The meetings are typically held in the spring and in the fall. The application deadline for the spring meeting is December 1 and the deadline for the fall meeting is June 1.
The applicant is expected to appear before the Board at the meeting. This is where you and your attorney will be able to demonstrate your rehabilitation and outline your accomplishments and community involvement. The meetings are open to the public.
If a Pardon Extraordinary is granted in Minnesota, your conviction is vacated. The public criminal records, which list convictions, should be cleared. The private records, which list arrests and the final disposition, will show that the Pardon Extraordinary was granted. This means that you are not legally required to disclose the conviction to potential employers or landlords.
We charge a flat fee for the preparation and filing of the Minnesota pardon application. As long as your criminal history information and discharge dates are correct, you should be granted a public hearing after the Board reviews your application. To have an attorney appear with you at that hearing, we charge an additional fee. We do offer interest-free payment plans, and we start working on your case once you make the first payment.
Please take our online eligibility test by clicking here to determine if you are eligible and to sign up online. If you wish to discuss your case or circumstances with us, you may call our office. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and to get you signed up over the phone.
Pardon | Our Law Firm | Typical Law Firm |
Payment Plans | Yes | No |
Low-Price Guarantee | Yes | No |
Pays Court Costs | Yes | No |
Specializes in Record Clearing | Yes | No |
Get started with $714.29 Plus 6 interest-free monthly payments of only $714.29. |
* The price covers the cost of obtaining the application on your behalf, working with you to complete the application, obtaining a copy of your criminal record, and filing the application with the Board. If a hearing is granted by the Board, there will be an additional charge of $500 to have an attorney appear with you.
This price includes filing fees and application costs. In some instances a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation report may need to be obtained. This may require you to be fingerprinted and you may need to pay an additional approximate amount of $25.
Benefits | RecordGone.com | Typical Attorney Site |
More than 30,000 successful cases | Yes | No |
"A+" rating with Better Business Bureau | Yes | No |
Updates background check companies | Yes | No |
Gladly offers to price match | Yes | No |
Work starts with your first payment | Yes | No |
Fastest possible results | Yes | No |
50+ combined years of experience | Yes | No |
National law firm | Yes | No |
Online case management system | Yes | No |
Experts who helped create expungement law | Yes | No |
Award-winning customer service | Yes | No |
Interest-free payment plans | Yes | No |
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* You must first take our free eligibility test in order to sign up online.