Why does the Parole Board of Canada insist that a representative or lawyer is not necessary in order to apply for a pardon?
The Parole Board of Canada has long insisted that an application for a pardon is a very simple matter. The truth is that a pardon application is time consuming and extensive and difficult to complete for anyone not familiar with the process. So while it is true that a lawyer or representative is not required most people do hire a third party to prepare a pardon application. Think of it like you would when hiring an accountant to do your taxes.
Part of the problem is that the industry is unregulated allowing companies with little or no experience to offer the service. It would be in the best interest of Canadians if the government would become involved in providing a legitimate regulating body for the pardon service providers industry. At the moment it does not look like that will happen anytime soon.
How do I avoid being scammed by a pardon service provider?
Continue reading this section and do sufficient research into the company you intend to hire. The following are questions you can ask a pardon service provider in order to determine the quality of the company you are interested in. Of course the easiest way to make sure you are dealing with a legitimate agency is to hire a member of the Pardon Association of Canada.
How long has the company been in business?
There are many new companies that don’t have the experience or expertise to complete applications for pardons and US waivers.
How many employees does the company have?
Many companies are understaffed and cannot execute the files effectively because of their lack of resources. Furthermore, there are some companies that hire more sales staff than processing staff so you may want to ask how many employees prepare applications. If the processing staff cannot keep up with the sales your file is going to be delayed.
Does the company have a status department?
Once your file is started, the timelines to completion are long so you want to make sure you have access to status updates on your file along the way. It is important to be informed on who will handle your file and who will be available to provide updates as things move along.
Does the service fee include disbursements?
This is an important question because many companies will offer a discounted price but the fine print will indicate that additional charges are to be billed down the road. It is important to understand that TOTAL cost of the service you are paying for.
How does the company handle complaints?
Many companies are members of the BBB which is a good starting point. However, the BBB has no actual authority to force a dispute settlement. The BBB acts as an intermediary only and provides a summary of previous complaints.
What is the refund policy?
We advise anyone engaging a pardon and waiver service provider to be 100% certain of the company in advance of starting a file. However, it is a good idea to understand the refund policy in advance. If you decide to change your mind it is important to understand what refund if any will be provided.
The above questions are designed to address concerns about the pardon services industry rather than the pardon or waiver process. If you are interested in learning more about pardons and waivers from a processing perspective please visit one of our member’s websites.
http://www.nationalpardon.org/NPC_faqs.html
http://www.pardons.org/pardons_faqs.html
