How can I restore my gun rights after a Colorado criminal conviction?

The applicant needs to complete the Executive Clemency Application, which requires the following information:

• Name,
• Education level,
• Job,
• Military service,
• Marriage and parent status,
• Need for restoration of rights, including firearm rights,
• Past crime information, and
• Any other required supporting documentation, including:

• Personal letter to the governor explaining the reasons and circumstances behind the pardon request;
• Federal and state tax returns for the prior five years;
• Verification of employment for the prior five years;
• Pay stubs for the last three months;
• Five letters of reference, all dated and addressed to the governor;
• Reports from community parole officer or probation officer that address the applicant’s adjustment to community placement;
• Discharge documents from jail or prison;
• Copy of current driver’s license;
• Up-to-date FBI record or arrest record;
• Completed fingerprint card; and
• Any other relevant documents

The application then must be mailed to: Office of Executive Clemency 940 Broadway Denver, CO 80203 There is no fee to submit this application, but applicants are advised to retain an attorney to compose it. An experienced attorney knows how to increase the chances of success.

The Colorado pardon process

After the applicant sends in the pardon application, the Office of Executive Clemency processes it and verifies the information. At the next Executive Clemency Advisory Board session, the Board reviews the applications and sends recommendations to the governor. Before an applicant can be pardoned, the following people need to comment on the applicant:

• the district attorney in the jurisdiction that prosecuted the applicant,
• the attorney who prosecuted the applicant, and
• the judge who sentenced the applicant

Ultimately, the governor makes the final decision about whether to grant or deny an application. The applicant then gets notified either way. If the governor denies the pardon, the applicant can reapply later. Note that pardons are completely separate procedure from commutations and Colorado record seals. A commutation is the reduction of a sentence, whereas pardons occur long after a sentence is served. And record seals make a person’s criminal history invisible, whereas pardons do not erase anything — they merely forgive the offense and can restore civil rights.