Missouri
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in Missouri — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in Missouri
Missouri's courts offer free self-help resources for people handling a family law case on their own — forms, the Litigant Awareness Program, and guidance on court procedures. Start there before anything else.
Missouri Courts — Representing Yourself in a Family Law Case
The official starting point: family-law self-help forms and the Litigant Awareness Program.
courts.mo.gov — family law self-help →Find a divorce lawyer
Missouri Bar — Lawyer Directory
Free LawyerSearch tool to find a Missouri attorney by area of practice. (The Bar redesigned its site — start at the homepage.)
mobar.org →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Missouri Legal Services
Statewide hub connecting you to Missouri's four regional legal-aid programs.
lsmo.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 1-800-392-3738 — Missouri's 24-hour child protective services hotline (Dept. of Social Services).
dss.mo.gov — child abuse & neglect hotline →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
Statewide map of local DV programs. Note: the coalition says it is not a 24-hour crisis service — for immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (free, confidential, 24/7).
mocadsv.org →Unpaid wages in Missouri
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in Missouri.
Where to go
Missouri Division of Labor Standards
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
$15.00 (2026)
Changing your name in Missouri
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in Missouri.
How it works
petition the Circuit Court in your county
Typical court fee
varies by county — check your local court
Newspaper notice required?
yes — after the judgment is granted
Small claims court in Missouri
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in Missouri.
Maximum claim
$5,000
Filing fee
varies by county (roughly $17–$60)
Can you bring one?
yes
Clearing your criminal record in Missouri
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where Missouri stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — expungement
What qualifies
most misdemeanors and non-Class-A felonies (violent/sex/DWI excluded)
Waiting period
1 year (misdemeanors) / 3 years (felonies)
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in Missouri →
Child support in Missouri
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in Missouri.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' incomes combined) Form 14 child support calculation worksheet published by the Missouri courts (courts.mo.gov)
When it ends
age 18, or up to 21 if enrolled in secondary or postsecondary education
Lemon law in Missouri
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? Missouri's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles purchased or leased in Missouri (under manufacturer warranty)
When it's legally a lemon
4+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ cumulative days out of service
What you get
replacement vehicle or refund of purchase price (less reasonable use allowance)
Tenant rights in Missouri
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in Missouri.
Notice before eviction
1 month's written notice to end month-to-month; landlord must make a written demand for rent before filing eviction for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
2 months' rent maximum; returned within 30 days with an itemized list of deductions
When the landlord won't fix things
may repair and deduct after 14 days' written notice (cost up to 1 month's rent)
DUI / DWI in Missouri
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how Missouri handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.15
Typical penalties
up to 6 months in jail, up to $1,000 fine, 90-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
5-year lookback
Gun laws in Missouri
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (no permit required since 2017, age 19; 18 for military); optional shall-issue permit for reciprocity
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit (localities may restrict open carry by those without a permit)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Recognizes all out-of-state permits.
Filming the police: your rights in Missouri
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (Mo. Ann. Stat. § 542.402)
No buffer-zone law
Missouri has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
One-party consent state: only one party to a conversation must consent. A 2023 bill (HB 1081) that would have made Missouri an all-party consent state did not pass. No Missouri law sets a distance buffer for recording police.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in Missouri
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in Missouri
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in Missouri
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in Missouri
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in Missouri
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →