The New Expungement Law in Missouri
Posted on Aug 1, 2012 9:34am PDT
Starting at the end of this month certain people will be able to have certain
offenses removed from their criminal record. The new law is not as far
reaching as I would have hoped, but I do believe it is a start, and I
believe that the State Legislators are seeing that some people do make
mistakes in their lives and deserve second chances.
The new law will still allow for people to get arrests based on false information
expunged, and it will still allow for certain DWI and MIP convictions
to be expunged. However the new law will also allow the follow people
to have a conviction expunged from their record:
- Any felony or misdemeanor offense of passing a bad check under 570.120,
fraudulently stopping payment of an instrument under 570.125, or fraudulent
use of a credit or debit device under section 570.130;
- Any misdemeanor offenses of negligently burning or exploding, tampering
in the 2nd degree, property damage in the 2nd degree, trespass in the
1st degree, gambling, private peace disturbance, pubilc drunkenness; or
- Any class B or class C misdemeanor offense involving peace disturbance.
As you can see this bill is very particular to not inlcude any violent
offenses or drug offenses. The idea behind this bill was that some people
are not able to obtain a gun to go hunting. I do believe that misdemeanor
drug offenses should eventually become part of this list, but for right
now this list is very specific.
If you have any questions about expungements or if you have questions about
the new law please give me a call and I will see if my firm can be of
assistance.