Robert William Cawthon
Pardon by Donald J. Trump
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- False statement on bank loan application
- District
- Northern District of Texas
- Original Sentence
- Three years' probation, conditioned upon 180 days' home confinement (May 22, 1992)
- Clemency Type
- Pardon — full forgiveness, restores civil rights
Case Overview & Context
Plain-English summary of the case and the legal context for this type of clemency
Case Overview
Robert William Cawthon was convicted in the Northern District of Texas of making a false statement on a bank loan application. On May 22, 1992, he was sentenced to three years' probation with a condition of 180 days' home confinement.
Pardon Context
A pardon is an act of presidential forgiveness that removes punishments and restores civil rights for a federal conviction, though the conviction itself remains part of the historical record. Under Article II of the Constitution, the presidential pardon power is absolute for federal offenses and requires no judicial review or approval from other branches of government. For someone who completed their sentence decades ago, a pardon primarily serves to restore rights such as voting, jury service, and firearm possession where those were restricted by the conviction. The president's personal reasoning for this specific grant is not publicly documented.
AI-generated summary based on public clemency records. The president's specific personal reasoning for this grant is not publicly documented.
Constitutional authority: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the President “Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States.” This power is absolute for federal crimes — Congress cannot override it, and no judicial review is required. The president is not required to publish reasons for individual grants.