If you are facing a Missouri drug charge or have an existing drug conviction that impacts your ability to find work, you may eventually be able to put your crime behind you once and for all. A new law took effect at the beginning of the year that is making it easier for many non-violent criminal offenders to have their records expunged, and you may be among those who can take advantage of it. At the Law Offices of Dee Wampler & Joseph Pasanisse, we have a firm understanding of the recent changes to the state’s expungement laws, and we recognize just how much having a drug conviction on your record can impact your quality of life.

Until recently, per the Riverfront Times, Missouri’s felony drug offenders had to wait 20 years before their crimes could be expunged from their records. Essentially, this means they had to wait 20 years before they could undergo a court-ordered process to have their crimes sealed or “erased” in the eyes of the law. Until the beginning of this year, if you had a Missouri misdemeanor drug conviction, you had to wait 10 years before you could seek expungement.

Missouri’s new expungement laws have cut down the amount of time you must wait to have your crime expunged considerably. Instead of felony drug offenders having to wait 20 years to have their crimes sealed, they now must wait only seven years before they can begin the expungement process. Similarly, if you have a misdemeanor drug conviction in Missouri, you can now begin working toward expungement after only three years.

Supporters of the new law believe it gives state residents who have paid their debts to society a new opportunity for a fresh start. More about Missouri drug offenses is available on our web page.