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Applicable Form of Executive Clemency: Commutation of Sentence

Eligibility: All inmates are eligible to apply.

Application Process: Applications are available by contacting:

Executive Secretary
Nevada Board of Pardons
1445 Hot Springs Road, Suite #108-B
Carson City, NV 89711
Tel: (775) 687-8278
Fax: (775) 687-6736

Click here to preview clemency forms. Forms are for sample purposes only. Failure to use forms issued to you by the Board may lead to rejection of the application.

The initial review of an application is conducted by the Screening Committee comprised of the prisoner's warden or other designated representative(s) of the prisoner's holding facility, and the Director of Prisons. Approximately five percent of applications are forwarded for review by the Board. The Board meets twice a year to review applications.

The Nevada Board of Pardons is a board of clemency comprised of nine members -- the Governor, the seven justices of the Nevada Supreme Court, and the Nevada Attorney General. A majority vote is required to grant clemency. The Governor cannot be outvoted - he or she must be part of the majority voting in favor of the clemency action.

There is no single exclusive set of factors considered by the Board. Each applicant is considered separately and is approved or denied on the merits of his or her specific situation. Certain factors may take on more or less importance due to the way they interrelate in a specific case.

An inmate retains his or her counsel or is assigned a state public defender if they cannot afford an attorney. A typical hearing in front of the Board lasts 20-30 minutes. Applicants are permitted to have witnesses (i.e. friends, family, supporters) testify in favor of their clemency request. Hearings are open to the public.

An inmate is typically informed of the Board's decision within eight weeks of submission of the application, although a decision could take as long as six months.