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Presidents often dole out a big batch of pardons around the end of a term, and Trump reportedly granted more than 1,500 on his first day back.
Personal access and favors — like playing golf at Mar‑a‑Lago, recommendations from allies, or shared grudges — can help get someone’s case in front of the president.
A presidential pardon can erase serious federal charges and prison exposure, underscoring the huge and sometimes controversial power of the pardon power.

He was recently granted clemency by President Donald Trump and released from prison after being expelled from Congress.
Less than two months after his release he’s booked with public appearances and is even hosting an inaugural “Santos Claus” Christmas party.
He’s leaning into a public comeback as a kind of renegade socialite, managing events and assistants while talking about life behind bars and fair‑weather friends.

Donald Trump promised to fix what he sees as a biased justice system against him. He believes the Justice Department was unfairly used as a political weapon.
Before leaving office, Joe Biden pardoned his family members and allies, which is unusual and seen as controversial. This includes pardons for people who hadn't even been charged yet.
Biden's actions are compared to Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon, as this is one of the first times a president has given such broad clemency before convictions.

Biden pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent offenses, mostly related to drugs. This helps them rebuild their lives by removing convictions from their records.
He also commuted the sentences of 1499 others still in prison, allowing them to be released but still keeping their criminal records. Some of these cases drew criticism, especially concerning a judge involved in a major bribery scandal.
Critics argue that Biden's policy to commute sentences was too broad and didn't consider the individual circumstances of those being released. There's concern that some who received commutations, like the corrupt judge, still deserved harsher punishment.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied clemency to Charlie Vaughn.
Charlie Vaughn has spent 30 years in prison for a crime he likely did not commit.
Despite being mentally disabled, Vaughn was held in jail for almost a year without proper evaluation.

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Courts may not be equipped to handle complex scientific questions, potentially leading to wrongful convictions or sentences.
Medical diagnoses like shaken baby syndrome can evolve over time with new scientific evidence, impacting legal cases like Robert Roberson's.
Challenges arise when legal systems fail to adapt to new scientific knowledge, creating obstacles for individuals seeking justice based on updated understanding.