Missouri Criminal Defense Laws

Class A: 10-30 years or life. Class B: 5-15 years. Class C: 3-10 years (up to $10,000 fine). Class D: up to 7 years (up to $10,000 fine). Class E: up to 4 years (up to $10,000 fine). Class D and E felonies may be sentenced to county jail (up to 1 year) rather than state prison.

Effective January 1, 2025: lifetime limits increased to 2 felonies and 3 misdemeanors. Waiting periods: 3 years for felony convictions, 1 year for misdemeanors, 18 months for arrests without conviction (reduced from 3 years). Serious violent felonies, domestic assault, and felony kidnapping remain ineligible.

Missouri has an active death penalty. Method: lethal injection (primary), lethal gas (alternative). Missouri allows judges to impose the death penalty when juries deadlock — one of only two states with this practice.