In March, you’ll recall, almost out of nowhere, the Board of Pardons reversed two years of remarkable progress by imposing a new rule that forbids its Secretary from scheduling any “merit reviews” for pardon candidates who have not paid off all of the underlying fines, fees, and costs appearing on the dockets of the criminal cases in which they were convicted. (Unlike civil cases where all such costs are waived for low-income parties, they are routinely assigned in criminal cases even where the accused is represented by a public defender.)

On June 29, the Philadelphia Bar Association unanimously adopted a resolution “object[ing] to the adoption of this exclusionary policy by the Board of Pardons as being contrary to principles of fairness and justice for all Pennsylvanians and the best interests of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Bar Chancellor Lauren McKenna has now written to every member of the Board of Pardons, copying Governor Wolf, calling on them to rescind the new rule “before the next round of merit hearings in August”. She was blunt in her criticism:  "This policy creates a two-tiered system in which applicants who can afford justice may obtain it, while those at the bottom of the economic ladder find this essential next rung too high to reach."

Well said, Chancellor. Well said. Will they now open their ears to the cries of the poor?

YOU can help! Add YOUR voice to the Chancellor's! Email the AG (see below).

It was just a few months ago that Penn Medicine announced the opening of the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar – formerly the Mercy Catholic Medical Center at 501 S. 54th Street – as “an innovative and integrated public health campus designed to serve the West and Southwest Philadelphia communities.” So you can easily understand why PLSE staff and volunteers were thrilled to turn out on a beautiful Tuesday summer evening this past week for our first-ever criminal records clinic there. “This was a great way to launch our services in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood,” said Taylor Pacheco, PLSE Staff Attorney who headed the effort. Community members and allies showed up and received one-on-one services and counseling.

“The overlap between public health and criminal records has become increasingly clear,” said Laurie Corbin, MSS, MLSP, Public Health Management Corporation’s Managing Director for Community Engagement. “Erasing criminal records is key to the physical and mental well-being not just of the individuals who were once justice involved, but of their whole families, and even whole neighborhoods. We are excited to be at the forefront of providing this innovative, integrative and holistic care.”

We are too, Laurie! Thank you, PHMC, for your partnership.

Lackawanna County was the first place where we set about creating a Pardon Project, and it is now up and operating, connecting Pardon Coaches to low-income clients with the strong support of the Bar Association and Lackawanna Pro Bono. At its meeting earlier this month, its Steering Committee – led by Linda Ciampi, Executive Director of Outreach Center for Community Resources – awarded PLSE a “Certificate of Appreciation” thanking PLSE for "its vision in seeing the life-changing impact that pardons can have not just for individuals and their families, but for whole neighborhoods, for its tenacity in taking on the statewide pardon system and helping to make it accessible to low-income Pennsylvanians and the organizations that serve them, and for the energy it invested in Lackawanna County, allowing us to be the first Pardon Project in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia."

Meanwhile, at the June Meeting of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, President Kathleen Wilkinson presented PLSE ED Tobey Oxholm with a Special Achievement Award “for his steadfast dedication and efforts promoting pardons across the commonwealth, conducting numerous trainings and helping many clients directly while advocating for changes in the pardon process that have effectively opened up what was once a relatively closed system.”

"As you know, I work for our local adult education program. When someone mentions that they are an ex-offender on our registration form, I do speak with them about the pardons process in our state.  Several learners had offenses with much time in between. Many are under the impression that it will take years - possibly seven years to receive the pardon. They are surprised at the information I give them, and I direct them to your website as well. Thank you for your service to our community."

-Dee Martin-Spallone, CCM, MEd, Student Support Coordinator, AASD Adult Education Program

ArtsAltoona Center, Altoona PA

"The Pardon Project of Lackawanna County met today. During the meeting, committee members discussed our gratitude for the work and support provided by the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity. As you well know, our Pardon Project is a community-wide effort to assist the most vulnerable citizens work toward addressing stability and self-sufficiency in their lives, that of their families and the opportunity to contribute to the community in which they live, work and play, in positive ways. It would never have happened had it not been for you. Thanks again for all your encouragement and support."

-Linda Ciampi, Executive Director

Outreach Center for Community Resources, Scranton PA

"I write as a former federal and state prosecutor who advocates for pardons. They can help so many people in our state turn their lives around and give them a fresh slate. No one deserves to wear the scarlet letter A forever."

-Linda Dale Hoffa, Dilworth Paxon LLP