Joe Exotic's legal team have made a final plea to Donald Trump for a presidential pardon before he leaves office next month.

The Tiger King star is a year into a 22-year jail sentence for charges including animal cruelty and a plot to murder his long-term rival Carole Baskin - all allegations that he denies.

The 57-year-old's plight gained worldwide attention through the release of the Netflix documentary series earlier this year, prompting Trump to suggest that he may look at the issue of pardoning him.

Trump's time in the White House will come to an end on January 20 when Joe Biden replaces him as President, and before he leaves he is expected to grant a flurry of pardons.

Exotic's attempts to secure freedom via the commander-in-chief have so far proved fruitless, although according to Deadline, he has now taken the Justice Department to court as the clock ticks down.

A complaint filed last week reads: "Joe Exotic seeks to require the United States Office of the Pardon Attorney to comply with its ministerial duty to submit a recommendation to the President of the United States regarding Joe Exotic's application for pardon, so that the President can exercise his Constitutional discretion in determining whether to grant or deny application petition."

Trump, meanwhile, has still refused to concede to Biden despite the election results having been certified earlier this month.