Which term refers to the forgiveness of a crime and cancellation of relevant penalty?

The term that refers to the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the relevant penalty is a pardon. A pardon ultimately absolves an individual of their criminal conviction, restoring their rights and typically erasing the legal consequences associated with the crime. This mechanism is often utilized by the president at the federal level or governors at the state level, serving as a powerful tool for mercy and justice.

In contrast, reprieves refer to a temporary delay in the enforcement of a sentence, rather than outright forgiveness. Amnesty, while also involving forgiveness, generally pertains to large groups of individuals or specific situations, such as when governments choose to overlook certain offenses for a group, often related to political issues. The line-item veto, on the other hand, is a power that allows an executive to reject specific provisions of a bill without having to veto the entire legislative measure, which is not related to the forgiveness of crime. Understanding how these terms are distinct highlights the significance of a pardon as a formal act of forgiveness in the legal context.