Answering the Governor’s Call
In the summer of 2019, the Office of Governor Mike DeWine approached The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and the University of Akron School of Law to assist with creating a shortened pardon process for those who meet certain criteria. These universities, the Governor’s office, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction collaborated to chart a new path by which certain people may apply for a formal pardon from the Governor under Ohio’s laws. Based on the positive experiences with the project to date, the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project was expanded to include additional partners and increase the project’s capacity to serve those seeking an expedited pardon.
Project Partners
The Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project Partners consist of the Project Team, Service Providers, and Community Partners. Together, they work to increase awareness about and improve access to the expedited pardon application process.
The Project Team provides administrative oversight of the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project and includes staff and faculty of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and the Reentry Clinic at the University of Akron School of Law.
Service Providers assist applicants who have been accepted by the Project Team to participate in the expedited pardon project. Once accepted, a client is assigned to a Service Provider. Service Providers for the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project include:
- University of Akron School of Law
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
- University of Dayton School of Law
- Cleveland State University College of Law
- Ohio Justice & Policy Center
- University of Cincinnati College of Law
Community Partners are nonprofit organizations who promote the Ohio Governor’s Expedited Pardon Project in select counties in the state of Ohio. Community Partners include:
- Community Assisted Restoration Services (CARES)
- Promoting in the following counties: Ashland, Ashtabula, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne
- Chosen4Change
- Promoting in the following counties: Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Miami, and Montgomery
- CityPark League
- Promoting in the following counties: Allen, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Lucas, Mahoning, Mansfield, Montgomery, Sandusky, and Stark
- Clark County Department of Reentry
- Promoting in the following counties: Clark, Greene, Champaign, and Madison
- Winbush Enterprise, Inc.
- Promoting in the following counties: Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and Union