Executive Clemency & Pardons in Tennessee

This is general information, not legal advice. Clemency is discretionary — there’s no guaranteed outcome — and the process can take time. A Tennessee attorney can help you decide whether to apply and prepare a strong application.

In Tennessee, clemency is the Governor’s power to forgive or soften a criminal punishment. It comes straight from the state constitution.

The Governor’s constitutional power

Under Article III, § 6 of the Tennessee Constitution, the Governor “shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons, after conviction, except in cases of impeachment.” Tennessee implements this as three things:

• Pardon — official forgiveness of an offense.
• Commutation — a reduced or shortened sentence.
• Exoneration — used in limited circumstances.

Clemency is available only for Tennessee state-court convictions — not federal or other states’ convictions.

The Board of Parole’s role

You don’t apply to the Governor directly. The Tennessee Board of Parole’s Executive Clemency Unit processes all applications for pardon, commutation, and exoneration, investigates the request, and sends a non-binding recommendation to the Governor. But only the Governor can actually grant clemency.

Pardon vs. commutation

• A pardon forgives the offense and can help restore certain rights — and a pardon for a non-violent offense can open a separate path to expungement.
• A commutation reduces a sentence (for example, shortening prison time) but leaves the conviction in place.

A pardon doesn’t automatically clear your record

This surprises people: a pardon forgives the conviction but does not erase it from your record by itself. To remove the record, you generally need a separate expungement petition — and only certain (typically non-violent) offenses qualify.

Clemency often works alongside the other tools — see gun & civil rights restoration and expungement. To get matched with a local Tennessee attorney, connect with a lawyer.