# Pardons Application Process? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 3, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699 "2012-04-03T16:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/1 "2012-04-03T16:02:06Z")
On June 13, 2010 at 2:47 p.m. I received an Official Warning. I am reminded of my transgression any time I use the User CP. Is there a Pardons Application Process to request my record be expunged? Time off for good behaviour? (in case there is any ambiguity of tone, I am jovially curious). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/2 "2012-04-03T16:26:29Z")
There’s no _formal_ process- you just contact the staff, usually starting with the mod who gave the warning, and explain the reason you think the warning was undeserved. We don’t remove the warnings after a set period of time, but they do count less over time. Getting a few warnings in a short period can mean trouble. If your only warning was that long ago, you’re fine. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/3 "2012-04-03T17:24:47Z")
Oh, I’m sure I deserved the warning… But like my armed robbery and regicide convictions, I was hoping to receive a pardon, i.e. seal the public record. I have potential employers who I’m sure look at my Straight Dope profile 🙂 I’ll PM **tomndebb** ETA: I presume that Official Warning is visible by the public… Is that so? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/4 "2012-04-03T17:29:42Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > ETA: I presume that Official Warning is visible by the public… Is that so? The infractions listed on your user profile are not visible to anyone else. **tomndebb** did announce the warning in a thread, and that’s visible. If you’re conceding that the warning was deserved there really isn’t anything to talk about - we’re not going to cancel it just because it’s old. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/5 "2012-04-03T17:41:30Z")
Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/6 "2012-04-03T18:39:52Z")
Also, you can’t vote in presidential elections anymore. The good news is… you can still own a gun! Something to keep in mind the next time The Man puts you down. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/7 "2012-04-03T20:23:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If you’re conceding that the warning was deserved there really isn’t anything to talk about - we’re not going to cancel it just because it’s old. The mods forgive, but they don’t forget. Even the senile ones with dementia never forget. I think it’s in the honorary teabag they receive that comes with the mod mug. Part of the initiation ritual when becoming a mod. Or so I’ve overheard in the dark alleys late at night, … during a New Moon, … in the rain, … in a month ending in r. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/8 "2012-04-03T20:45:16Z")
Good! I’m glad to see this thread be less seriouser than it was starting to trend. > [@Marley23](#): > > The infractions … Infraction… singular… I may be a regicidal thief but I’m not SO rude as to accumulate multiple infraction **s** > [@Duckster](#): > > The mods forgive, but they don’t forget. Mods are elephants. Got it. Again, thanks for the clarification 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/9 "2012-04-04T00:32:35Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > Infraction… singular… I may be a regicidal thief but I’m not SO rude as to accumulate multiple infraction **s** I was speaking of warnings in general. > [@Duckster](#): > > The mods forgive, but they don’t forget. Even the senile ones with dementia never forget. I think it’s in the honorary teabag they receive that comes with the mod mug. Part of the initiation ritual when becoming a mod. > > Or so I’ve overheard in the dark alleys late at night, … during a New Moon, … in the rain, … in a month ending in r. I can neither confirm nor deny that. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/10 "2012-04-04T02:08:57Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > Mods are elephants. Got it. Again, thanks for the clarification 🙂 Well, exept for that giraffe, but he retired. And one of them is also a wombat. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/11 "2012-04-04T12:32:34Z")
In most jurisdictions there is a Spent Convictions Act - unless you molest a child or murder someone. Here- you screw one sheep or annoy one Mod and nothing is forgiven. Pretty silly really. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/12 "2012-04-04T14:07:27Z")
Psttttt…the mods won’t tell you this, but there are at least two admins that can be bought off with chocolate. Not the cheap stuff though. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/13 "2012-04-04T14:09:15Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Here- you screw one sheep or annoy one Mod and nothing is forgiven. This is a little overdramatic. We don’t care about warnings from years ago and even warnings from a year ago don’t count for much of anything. They’re only an issue if you keep breaking the rules and doing the same things. The fact that we don’t go to the trouble of deleting the posts doesn’t mean “nothing is forgiven.” ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/14 "2012-04-04T19:43:11Z")
What about the sheep thing? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/15 "2012-04-04T19:49:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This is a little overdramatic. We don’t care about warnings from years ago and even warnings from a year ago don’t count for much of anything. They’re only an issue if you keep breaking the rules and doing the same things. The fact that we don’t go to the trouble of deleting the posts doesn’t mean “nothing is forgiven.” But it does mean all these infractions are part of your permanent record. You may not get into the finest schools and country clubs. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/16 "2012-04-04T19:51:31Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Well, exept for that giraffe, but he retired. And one of them is also a wombat. And wombats _never_ forget! What were we talking about again? > [@Marley23](#): > > This is a little overdramatic. To be fair, if you REALLY, REALLY like sheep, we probably won’t ever let you forget about it. Kind of like if you ban the entire board. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/17 "2012-04-04T19:52:10Z")
_One time!_ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/18 "2012-04-04T19:59:06Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > The mods forgive, but they don’t forget. Even the senile ones with dementia never forget. I think it’s in the honorary teabag they receive that comes with the mod mug. Part of the initiation ritual when becoming a mod. There were a lot of procedural reforms regarding theft and regicide after that regrettable incident where the jester stole the king’s crown and the situation became so confused it ended up with the courtroom being adjourned and no verdict being returned. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/19 "2012-04-04T20:03:54Z")
Wait a minute! I thought they were ALL senile with dementia. But I forget if that is redundant or not. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699/20 "2012-04-05T14:33:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > There were a lot of procedural reforms regarding theft and regicide after that regrettable incident where the jester stole the king’s crown and the situation became so confused it ended up with the courtroom being adjourned and no verdict being returned. Do they involve going down to the levee to drink whiskey and rye? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardons-application-process/617699.md?page=2)