What is a Felony in Missouri?
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Missouri classifies its felonies into different categories that have different penalties depending on the type of charge. Each charge is set at a specific penalty but can escalate to another if more than one charge is filed. Misdemeanors are also broken into classes but have less severe penalties than felonies.
Class B Felony in Missouri
A Class A Felony tops the list of the felonies. It has a maximum penalty of death with other penalties of life in prison and imprisonment of ten to thirty years. Class A Felonies can include second degree murder, first degree robbery, and others.
Class B Felony in Missouri
Class B Felonies carry maximum punishments of imprisonment anywhere from five to fifteen years in a state penitentiary. This class of felonies can include second degree robbery, voluntary manslaughter, first degree burglary, and others.
Class C Felony in Missouri
Class C Felonies include involuntary manslaughter, second degree assault, stealing items totaling between five hundred and twenty-five hundred dollars, and others. Class C Felonies can carry maximum prison sentences up to seven years with or without a fine of five thousand dollars. The last of the felony classes is that of Class D Felonies. This class of felonies is punishable by a maximum penalty of imprisonment up to four years with or without a fine of five thousand dollars. If the offender made significant material gain in this crime, the punishment can be twice the amount of the gain, which cannot exceed twenty thousand dollars. Class D Felonies can include fraud, bad checks, other forms of fraud, and others.
Missouri Misdemeanors
Missouri Misdemeanors are less severe than felonies and have less severe penalties. Class A Misdemeanors can have penalties up to one year in a county jail facility with or without a fine up to one thousand dollars. Class B Misdemeanors can have penalties between to thirty days in jail or up to six months in jail with or without a fine up to five hundred dollars. Class C Misdemeanors can carry penalties up to fifteen days in jail with or without a fine of up to three hundred dollars. Infractions receive no jail sentences and can have fines up to two hundred dollars.
Missouri Expungement
Permanent stains on an individual’s records can be the result of a past conviction of a criminal charge. These can have negative affects in life including background checks for employment clearance, housing, and licensing purposes. Expungement can help those deserving individuals have a better future. Expungement can erase a criminal record and make the offense as if it never took place. Legal status can be restored in the case of minor in possession convictions.
The expungement and sealing of records is different. Expungement means that a criminal record is completely destroyed from public and private viewing and makes a crime nonexistent. Sealing is the closing of a court file to be hidden from public viewing. In Missouri the sealing and expungement of records is basically the same procedure. An individual must petition the court for an expungement and must be found worthy. Violent offenses and most felonies are not eligible for expungement.