Dear Mr. Hall,

Thank you for contacting the Governor’s Office regarding your request for a pardon or expungement for your son.  Be advised that our office cannot offer you legal advice, but we can provide you with information, which we hope you find helpful.

With regard to a pardon:  In the State of South Carolina, all pardons, except for a sentence of death, are granted by a seven-member board, not the Governor.  Pursuant to the State Constitution, the Governor may only grant a reprieve and commute a sentence of death to a sentence of life imprisonment.  All other pardons are granted by the Board of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.  To seek assistance and obtain an application for a pardon, please call Beth Anderson at the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at 803.734.3538 or visit the website at www.dppps.sc.gov. 

With regard to an expungement:  In the State of South Carolina, the Governor has no authority to expunge a criminal record.  Pursuant to the South Carolina Code of Laws, a criminal record may only be expunged through an application to the court, which must be signed by a judge.  An individual should contact the solicitor’s office in the area where the charge originated to seek assistance and obtain an application, which does require a fee.  Also, please be advised that an individual does not have to have a lawyer to request an expungement but can represent himself or herself pro se.  Helpful resources with additional information can be found online at www.sccourts.org/selfhelp/.

Again, thank you for contacting the Governor’s Office.  If there is anything else we can do for you, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Schimsa
Governor's Office