This book is an invaluable resource for any prisoner fighting for his or her freedom. Armed with knowledge unknown by most other clemency applicants, he or she will gain a serious advantage. Smith lays out every aspect of the clemency process, step by step: the relief available, the statutory regulations (for all fifty state jurisdictions as well as federal), the grounds for executive clemency, the self-development, personal growth, and transformation processes, social intelligence, communication skills, clemency campaign strategies, how to prepare a clemency application, examples of successful applications, and much more.

EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY BY PARDON: A GUIDE TO PARDON SUCCESS provides advice from state pardon boards and governors to help pardon applicants understand the criteria necessary for pardon consideration. In addition, the resource includes examples of actual state pardon applications granted versus actual state pardon applications denied so readers may discover the characteristics of pardon attainment. EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY BY PARDON includes tips and resources to help applicants achieve what pardon officials look for in a pardon application: exemplary conduct. The guide discusses the exemplary conduct of finding employment, volunteering for an organization that helps others, creating a volunteer project, and pursuing an education and career. EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY BY PARDON also includes examples of how to write the evidence of exemplary conduct, which is a request found in almost all pardon applications. To help readers get started in the pardon process, state-by-state pardon contact and eligibility information is provided.

For those seeking to file a second or successive habeas petition under 2244 or 2255, based on newly discovered evidence or retroactive effect of a U.S. Supreme Court case, this book provides detailed instructions for preparing the application. WISDOM IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS Get Wise; Get a Smith's Guide(TM) All Smith's Guides are designed for the beginning pro se prisoner and the practicing pro se litigator alike and are complete with example pleadings from successful cases. Let Smith guide you step-by-step through the courts and do it right the first time--every time.

One of the steps in criminal procedure deals with the role of the courts, executive, and administrative agencies in granting pardons and paroles to the tens of thousands of prisoners each year. Constitutional provisions can be found in both the Federal and State constitutions for executive clemency through pardon and/or parole by the President and/or governors as part of their constitutional powers. Presidents and governors have used their clemency authority throughout the history of the country. Every state contains both statutes and regulations dealing with pardon/parole. The statutes provide law for pardon and parole, but it is administrative agencies (agencies, boards, commissions) that actually draw up the regulations for the procedures of carrying out pardons and paroles. The text of these laws and regulations are quite long and I have had to restrict the content of both chapters to listing only the chapters under each state's statutes and regulations.--Publisher.

When Zachary A. Smith's father died unexpectedly while Zachary was incarcerated, he received a small inheritance from his father's estate. The State of Missouri filed a civil suit against him under the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act (MIRA). Smith secured a dismissal of the State's suit, but the State appealed and the dismissal was overturned. The court entered judgment against Smith, ordering the Missouri Department of Corrections to collect 90% of any money deposited into his inmate account by friends and family. Seeing that fighting the MIRA case in state court was getting him nowhere, Smith started researching United States Bankruptcy Codes and found a loophole. A fundamental goal of the federal bankruptcy laws enacted by Congress is to give debtors a financial "fresh start" from burdensome debts. In Local Loan Co. v. Hunt, 292 U.S. 234, 244 (1934), the Supreme Court made this point about the purpose of the bankruptcy law: It gives to the honest but unfortunate debtor...a new opportunity in life and a clear field for future effort, unhampered by the pressure and discouragement of preexisting debt. This goal is accomplished through the bankruptcy discharge, which releases debtors from personal liability from specific debts and prohibits creditors from ever taking any action against them to collect those debts. All SMITH'S GUIDES are made to be as helpful as possible (see also "SMITH'S GUIDE to Habeas Corpus Relief for State Prisoners Under 28 U.S.C. 2254," and "SMITH'S GUIDE to Executive Clemency for State and Federal Prisoners"). At the end of each chapter, the reader will find completed examples of the forms required to be filed in order to start their bankruptcy case. The reader will also find blank forms at the end of this book, which may be removed, filled out, and filed with the appropriate bankruptcy court. Of course, this book is not just for the type of debt discussed above, it is for the prisoner (or nonprisoner) who has outstanding debts and wants a fresh start. "SMITH'S GUIDE to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy for Prisoners" is an invaluable resource guide for prisoners and civilians alike, who need financial freedom from their past debts.

Get Clemency Now is based on over ten years experience from someone who was serving a sentence of life without parole who prepared his own clemency petition that was granted by President Obama and who has helped over half a dozen people receive clemency since being released from prison. This book not only teaches people in prison how to put together a robust clemency petition but also provides steps they can take to advocate for their freedom. Get Clemency Now also gives detailed steps on how families of the incarcerated can help in the preparation of the petition and advocate for their loved one's clemency. Included inside this Guidebook are actual clemency petitions that were granted and other documents to help with advocating from inside of or outside of prison. This book offers everything a person needs to know on how to get out of prison through clemency

Florida has nearly 101,000 inmates in 49 major state prisons and numerous correctional facilities called annexes and work camps.A clemency commutation of sentence and parole are alternate paths to the same goal, which is to release the inmate early. Both involve compassion, redemption, and forgiveness, and are the ultimate grant of a second chance. To get either, you must convince elected or appointed officials that the inmate will never commit another serious crime. However, clemency and parole involve different decision-makers, rules and timeframes.Here is the so-called secret sauce (the actual "how-to" steps to leave prison early), written by one of Florida's most distinguished clemency lawyers.