Word of the Day
May 18, 2026
Commutation
In criminal law, a reduction of a convicted person’s sentence to a lesser one by an act of executive clemency, while leaving the underlying conviction in place.
From Latin 'commutatio', meaning a change or exchange, from 'commutare', to change altogether (com-, intensive, plus mutare, to change).
Usage Examples
- Governor Polis granted Tina Peters a commutation, ordering her release on June 1 while her conviction stands.
- A commutation differs from a pardon, which erases the conviction itself rather than only shortening the sentence.
- Supporters had asked the governor for mercy, and the commutation delivered freedom without clearing her record.
From the Show
The word captured the central news of the broadcast: Governor Polis commuted, rather than pardoned, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ sentence, a distinction Susan Harris and Kim Monson drew out on air. The commutation shortens the sentence and orders a June 1 release while the conviction remains, a nuance explored throughout the May 18, 2026 conversation on the Peters clemency and election integrity.