Expunging a Missouri Bad Check Charge
Bad check cases are often years old and were often resolved by paying the money back, which leaves people assuming the record went away with the debt. It did not.
- Statute
- § 570.120
- How it is graded
- Class A misdemeanor, rising to a felony at higher amounts or with prior bad check convictions
How expungement works for this charge
These are usually straightforward once one question is answered: was restitution actually closed out with the court, or just settled with the merchant? Paying the payee directly does not always satisfy the court file, and the waiting period runs from completion of the disposition as the court records it. We see cases where someone waited years past their eligibility date without knowing the file still showed a balance. As a misdemeanor the wait is one year; higher-value or repeat cases charged as felonies carry the 3-year wait and a lifetime felony slot.
Often eligible
- Misdemeanor bad check charges after the 1-year wait
- Class C, D and E felony bad check convictions
- Cases where restitution is fully satisfied on the court file
- Charges dismissed after the check was made good
What disqualifies a case
- A restitution balance still showing on the court file
- A pending charge anywhere in Missouri
- A new conviction during the waiting period
There are exceptions in both directions and the law changes. Don’t rule yourself out on a list. Let us check the actual record.
The rules that apply to every Missouri expungement
- Waiting periods. Three years for a felony, one year for a misdemeanor or ordinance violation, measured from the day you complete the entire disposition, including probation, parole, fines and restitution.
- Lifetime limits. Up to two felonies and three misdemeanors or ordinance violations that carry possible jail time. Infractions are unlimited and don’t count against either cap.
- It is never automatic. Even when you qualify on paper, the court must also find that you have no pending charges, that all obligations are satisfied, that you are not a threat to public safety, and that expungement serves the interests of justice. The burden is on you, which is what the petition is for.
Different rules apply to first-time alcohol-related driving offenses, which run under § 610.130 with a ten-year wait, once per lifetime.
Questions about passing a bad check expungement
I paid the store back. Is my record clear?
No. Paying the payee resolves the debt, not the conviction. The record stays until a court grants an expungement, and the court file has to show the disposition complete.
How long does a bad check charge stay on my record?
Indefinitely, unless it is expunged. Missouri records do not fall off on their own, which is why old low-value cases still surface on background checks decades later.
General information about Missouri law, not legal advice, and not a prediction about your case. Eligibility depends on the exact statute, your disposition, your record and the court’s discretion. Reviewed by Andrew Popplewell.
Find out if your record qualifies, free.
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