A pardon is a decision that absolves a convicted person of a criminal conviction. A pardon may be full or partial:
Pardons are sometimes given to people who are wrongly convicted. In that case, the person is cleared of that conviction, as if never convicted.
The practice varies greatly between countries. In the United States a pardon for a federal conviction may be granted by the President, while pardons for state convictions may be granted by state governors. view more...