Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

I want to apply for a license in California. I saw online that getting a governors pardon would help me. I have two misdemeanors. Which pardon would I apply for, Certificate of Rehabilitation or Direct Pardon?


Asked on 6/20/17, 8:44 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

If you are talking about a driver's license, there is no need for any action, as it wouldn't be any help with DMV.

I assume you are talking about some kind of state issued professional license, in which case you need to contact the licensing board involved to ask whether those specific misdemeanors would prevent licensing [their rules and decisions are the 'law'], and whether it would help/change that if you got them 'expunged'. If so, then I can help obtain that expungement.

You should consider doing expungement no matter the licensing, as it somewhat cleans up your record, and helps directly when applying for most employment in the private sector.

Pardons would generally only apply to felony records, and would be an expensive, time consuming process. Certificate of Rehabilitation Petitions are the start of that process. Success is not assured, as very few pardons are ever granted, and then only for extraordinary circumstances such as correcting a serious miscarriage of justice and provably wrongful conviction.

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Answered on 6/21/17, 5:26 pm


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