WHAT IS A REPRIEVE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL, FAMILY OR CIVIL COURT PROCEEDINGS?

A reprieve is a delay or temporary suspension of punishment.
An emergency medical reprieve may be granted by the Governor to allow an offender to obtain medical care outside the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Offenders may seek an emergency medical reprieve if they are:

Terminally ill (less than six months to live),
Totally disabled,
Require medical treatment unavailable within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Correctional Institutions Division system, or
Denied parole under Medically Recommended Intensive Supervision.

Another type of emergency medical reprieve for a family emergency allows the offender, on a temporary basis, to visit an immediate family member who is critically ill or deceased. Although a request for a family emergency reprieve to attend a funeral or to visit a critically ill relative may be made through the Clemency Section, a more timely alternative is to request a special absence (furlough) from TDCJ.

Offenders also may seek a reprieve to attend civil court proceedings.

As with other forms of clemency, the Governor may grant the reprieve upon written recommendation of a majority of the Board.

Updated 04/01/2013