A pardon is an executive order granting clemency for a conviction. It may be granted "at any time" after the commission of the crime.[8] As per Justice Department regulations, convicted persons may only apply five or more years after their sentence has been completed.[9] However, the President's power to pardon is not restricted by any temporal constraints except that the crime must have been committed. Its practical effect is the restoration of civil rights and statutory disabilities (e.g., firearm rights, occupational licensing) associated with a past criminal conviction.[9] In rarer cases, such as the pardon of Richard Nixon, a pardon can also halt criminal proceedings and prevent an indictment.