What are commutations?
Asked by: Destini Hand | Last update: June 3, 2026Score: 5/5 (70 votes)
Commutations, in law, are the reduction of a criminal sentence to a lesser one (e.g., from life to a set term, or from death to life imprisonment) by an executive authority like a governor or the President, distinct from a pardon as it doesn't erase the conviction but lessens the penalty, often granted for good behavior or to correct overly harsh sentences, though less common now. The term also describes the electrical switching in motors to change current direction.
What does it mean if someone is given commutation?
A commutation of sentence is also known simply as a commutation. It is a form of reprieve granted to federal prisoners by the President of the United States. If a commutation gets granted, the prisoner's sentence gets reduced, but the prisoner's other rights don't get restored.
How many clemencies did Trump give?
List of people granted executive clemency in the second Trump presidency. In his role as the 47th president of the United States (January 20, 2025 – present), Donald Trump granted executive clemency to more than 1,600 individuals as of July 23, 2025, all of whom were charged or convicted of federal criminal offenses.
Who decides if someone gets commutation?
In criminal law, a commutation is a type of executive clemency, or leniency, which can only be granted by a public official, such as a governor or the president of the United States, and there are certain conditions that must be met in order for a prisoner to be eligible for clemency.
Are commutations the same as pardons?
A commutation is generally defined as a lessening of the criminal penalty, whereas a pardon is often defined as the termination of the criminal penalty.
Commutation
What crimes are usually commuted?
Generally speaking, any sentence can be commuted, except for those sentences related to the impeachment of a politician or for treason.
What crimes are eligible for commutation?
∎ Commutation Eligibility: Anyone who has been convicted of a crime in California is eligible for a commutation, except for goverment officials who have been impeached (see, California Constitution Article V, Section 8(a)).
Does a commuted sentence mean you go free?
Pardons forgive the defendant for the crime, while commutation only reduces the sentence. Conviction. A commutation doesn't wipe out or affect a criminal conviction, whereas a pardon relieves one from the consequences of a conviction. (This is different from expungement.)
What is an example of a commuted value?
As an example, consider a payment of $100 to be made one year from today. ─ If the interest rate is 5%, the Commuted Value (or present value) today would be (1/1.05) x 100, or $95.23. The higher the interest rate results in a lower Commuted Value and visa versa.
What are the drawbacks of pension commutation?
The disadvantages of pension commutation
You may face a hefty tax bill: Getting a lump sum could mean paying income tax either on part or all of it, depending on the amount received and your circumstances.
How much pension will I get after commutation?
Commutation is allowed up to 40% of the pension for Central Government employees, with a restoration period of 15 years.
Are you still a felon if you are pardoned?
Although a pardon absolves the pardoned person from guilt, it does not remove the conviction from their criminal record. Carlesi clarified that point by allowing the sentencing judge to consider the past conviction despite a pardon.
Is commutation the same as parole?
Commutation is not intended to serve as an early release mechanism for an offender in prison. A commutation is intended to correct an unjust or excessive sentence. A commutation is a rare, separate, and distinct process from a parole or a pardon.
Who has the power of commutation?
State Commutation Processes:
In most states, the authority to commute sentences rests with the Governor, sometimes in coordination with a Board of Pardons or Parole that conducts investigations or provides recommendations.
What was Obama's death penalty?
On 17 January 2017, three days before leaving office after eight years in the White House, President Barack Obama commuted one military death sentence and one federal death sentence. The prisoner in each case will now serve life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.