FOIA Contact:

Carolyn Veilleux
Office of the Pardon Attorney
1425 New York Avenue, N.W.
Suite 11000
Washington, D.C. 20530
Phone: 202-616-6070

Please be aware that the email address of PardonAttorneyFOIA@usdoj.gov is provided so that requests under the "Freedom of Information Act" ("FOIA") can be electronically submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney. When sending an email, please provide your full name and mailing address.

ANY EMAIL THAT IS NOT A "FOIA" REQUEST WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT A RESPONSE.

If you want to request information or clemency applications, support a clemency applicant, or request the status of a pending clemency application, please email the Office of the Pardon Attorney here.

FOIA Library

Many documents are available to the public without having to make a FOIA request. These documents are called "proactive disclosures" because they are automatically posted online by Department components.

Component Description:

The Office of the Pardon Attorney receives and reviews petitions for all forms of executive clemency, including pardon, commutation (reduction) of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, and reprieve. It also initiates the necessary investigations of clemency requests, and prepares the report and recommendation of the Attorney General, or his designee, to the President on each clemency request. This office maintains a clemency case file for each individual who has applied for or has been granted or denied clemency. The office also acts as liaison with the public for correspondence and informational inquiries about the clemency process or particular clemency issues, and maintains correspondence files relating to such inquiries. The office serves as the repository of historical records pertaining to the granting of clemency, and maintains copies of the warrants and proclamations of clemency granted by the President. It also maintains records relating to the administration of the office.

DOJ Reference Guide:

A comprehensive guide to the FOIA that serves as a handbook for obtaining information from the Department.

Special information required to make a FOIA request:

For clemency files, the full name of the person who applied for or was granted or denied clemency. For miscellaneous correspondence files, the full name of the author of the letter and full name of the person on whose behalf the letter was written (if different). For FOIA files, the full name of the person who made the FOIA request.

Publicly available information for which a FOIA request is not required:

Publicly available information: Executive clemency statistics from the administration of President McKinley to the present; rules governing the Pardon Attorney and petitions for executive clemency published at 28 C.F.R. §§ 0.35-36 and §§ 1.1 et seq.; forms for applying for executive clemency; copies of clemency warrants and proclamations for persons who have been granted executive clemency; description of clemency procedures contained in the United States Attorneys’ Manual at §§ 1-2.110 et seq.; and whether a specific individual has applied for executive clemency and action on such application.

Major Information Systems:

Office of the Pardon Attorney Network