What Is Clemency in Law?

In the United States, executive clemency refers to the general powers of the president and of governors to pardon, grant amnesty, commutation, or reprieve to individuals who have either been convicted of or may face the prospect of conviction for a criminal offense.

What does it mean when someone is granted clemency?

Clemency is the process by which a governor, president, or administrative board may reduce a defendant's sentence or grant a pardon. Clemencies have been granted in death-penalty cases for a variety of reasons.

What is meant by clemency in law?

Clemency is a mechanism for granting a person convicted of a criminal offense relief from a court-ordered sentence or punitive measure. There are two main methods through which clemency can be given—pardon or commutation of sentence.