On December 12, 2024, President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to nearly 1,500 applicants. According to the White House’s statement, the clemency recipients are Americans who were placed on home confinement during pandemic under the CARES Act.

These recipients have been serving their sentences on home confinement for at least one year and have demonstrated rehabilitation through employment, education, and family connections. 

Of the 39 individuals who received pardons, each was convicted on non-violent crimes, including drug offenses.

A complete list of individuals who received clemency can be found here. A list of those who have been pardoned can be seen here.

According to the White House’s press release:

The President is intent on granting clemency to individuals convicted of non-violent crimes who were sentenced under outdated laws, policies, and practices that left them with longer sentences than if the individuals were sentenced today.

To address these injustices, President Biden has taken several bold clemency actions throughout his Administration, including:

• In April 2022, the President granted clemency to individuals with various drug-related offenses and some individuals on CARES Act home confinement. In total, he granted three pardons and 75 commutations.
• In December 2022, the President granted clemency to recipients with various drug- and alcohol-related offenses. In total, he granted six pardons.
• In April 2024, the President granted clemency to recipients on CARES Act home confinement. In total, he granted 31 commutations.
• In December 2023 and April 2024, the President granted clemency to individuals sentenced for non-violent drug offenses. In total, he granted 11 pardons and 16 commutations.

In addition, President Biden issued a full and complete categorical pardon for those convicted of simple possession of marijuana in October 2022.

The December 12, 2024, clemency grant is by far President Biden’s largest batch of commutations and is reminiscent of President Obama’s record-breaking commutations at the end of his second term as President.

Importantly, President Biden has indicated that “there is more to come.” The President will continue to review pending clemency petitions as his term comes to an end.

How to Check the Status of a Pending Clemency Petition

The Office of the Pardon Attorney handles the submission and management of clemency and pardon petitions. You can check the status of a clemency petition by visiting https://www.justice.gov/pardon/search-clemency-case-status. You will need either the Clemency Case Number, inmate’s BOP register number, or inmate’s full name.

How to Apply for Clemency or a Pardon

More information on the clemency and pardon process can be found on our site. If you are looking for experienced federal criminal defense attorneys to assist you in seeking a pardon or clemency, reach out to us today at (303) 948-1489 or by email at [email protected].