Sang Man Shin v. State

OPINION

By the Court,

Saitta, J.:

We are asked to determine whether NRS 179.245(5), which prohibits Nevada courts from sealing records concerning sexually based offenses, improperly impinges upon the power of the State Board of *101Pardons Commissioners to issue pardons. While the pardoning power’s reach is expansive, it does not extend to removing the historical fact that a conviction occurred, and it cannot bequeath innocence. Instead, a pardon is an act of forgiveness that restores civil rights and removes most legal consequences of a criminal conviction. We find nothing in Article 5, Section 14…