“There are few things as powerful as the joy of someone who got a second chance and found their purpose.” - Kim Reynolds
“I want to thank Cleveland State Law School and congratulate and thank the past and present CSULAW students and staff who have made this possible. With the help of this team… expedited pardon applications jump to the front of the line to have their cases go before the Ohio Parole Board, and then to me for final consideration…. Cleveland State is so very important to not only Northeast Ohio but to the entire state." -Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
“Thanks to the Governor’s Expedited Pardon Program, CSULAW students have been able to provide assistance to more individuals in the state. This program is an excellent example of our College of Law’s motto, ‘Learn Law. Live Justice’ ……undergirding everything we do at CSU are three core values: collaborating with community, serving our students, and unleashing creativity . . . This project enables us to live those values in a powerful and palpable way." - CSU President Laura Bloomberg
When we enroll our students, I tell them that they are about to spend three years of their life like most people won't, so they can change people's lives and live justice like most people can't. This past Thursday was an inspiring example of our law students changing lives.
On December 12, CSU|LAW was honored to host Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who came to our law school to highlight the important work of our CSU Law Pardon, Clemency & Reentry Clinic, under the leadership of Director Khalida Sims Jackson, which is part of Governor DeWine's Expedited Pardon Project. The project provides free one-on-one support from CSU Law and a few other partnering Ohio law schools.
CSU President Laura Bloomberg introduced Governor DeWine, and after his remarks, he signed pardons for two clients of our Clinic — Valerie Thomas and Stacey Howard. See Video of December 12 Governor's Pardon Ceremony at CSU Law. See photos below.
We represent individuals in our community with past criminal convictions that stand in their way of their ability to move forward and achieve their dreams. Since January 2023, our Pardon Clinic has filed over 50 pardon applications and 200 motions for expungement and record-sealing. We have received 13 pardons from Governor DeWine, and other applications remain pending before the Ohio Parole Board. Khalida Sims Jackson noted, “At our Clinic, we are immensely proud of our students. Our students are committed, passionate, and dedicated. . . they are not only committed to their education, but also to making a real difference through their work."
Governor DeWine launched the project in 2019 to simplify and expedite the lengthy pardon application process for certain rehabilitated citizens who have consistently demonstrated that they’ve become law-abiding, contributing members of society in the years since their convictions. Governor DeWine noted, “these are people who made poor choices when they were younger but turned their lives around post-conviction by staying out of trouble, working hard, and giving back to their communities. These are individuals who, quite frankly, deserve a break…..” Nearly 200 people have been pardoned in the first five years of the Governor's Pardon Project.
Valerie Thomas, who received her pardon, expressed her thanks: "Mrs. Jackson, thank you for your kindness, encouragement, and advocacy. You have been a beacon of hope in this process and your support has meant the world to me. To Governor DeWine, thank you for seeing the person that I have become and believing in the transformative power of grace and second chances. Your decision to grant this pardon not only changes my life but also reaffirms that redemption is possible when people are given the opportunity to grow and do better.”
Stacey Howard, who also was pardoned, praised Director Jackson and the students who assisted her, saying that “ Khalida is awesome, my whole legal team with her was great . . . I just love them so much, they're part of my family now." She also thanked Governor DeWine "for giving me the opportunity to build and to move forward in a positive way, to show what I'm really made of, because my past does not define me. . . . With this opportunity of a fresh start, I'm rewinding, starting over, pushing forward…I want to be an example that you can get a fresh start, you can do it."
Our Pardon, Clemency & Reentry Clinic is one of three Clinics in our Criminal Justice Center led by Professors Jonathan Witmer-Rich and Robert Triozzi that give our students the chance to have a real-world impact while learning critical lawyering skills. Students in our Pretrial Justice Clinic led by Professor Triozzi, assist indigent clients at their first appearance in court, advocating for lower bail to enable clients to maintain jobs, housing, employment, and family connections. Our newest clinic is the Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic, led by Director Laura Greig. In this Clinic, students investigate cases of wrongful conviction and manifest injustice, working to obtain release for prisoners who were wrongfully convicted or who are serving grossly excessive sentences.
At CSU|Law, we are changing lives.
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Have a great day and a great week!
The views and opinions expressed in my Monday Morning Message are solely my own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the law school or the university.