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Theft & Fraud
RSMo 570.110effective 01 Jan 2017

Issuing a false instrument or certificate

In plain English

This law is about people who are officially allowed to approve, certify, or record important papers — like notaries or government officials. If one of those people signs off on or creates an official document knowing it has false information or is left blank on purpose, they are breaking this law. This is a class A misdemeanor, which is the most serious type of misdemeanor charge.

Penalties named in this law
class A misdemeanorup to 1 year in jail

Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.

Word-for-word law

570.110. Issuing a false or . — 1. A person commits the of issuing a false instrument or certificate when, being by law to take or of any instrument which by law may be , or being authorized by law to make or official certificates or other official written instruments, he or she issues such an instrument or certificate, or makes the same with the purpose that it be issued, knowing:

(1) That it contains a false statement or false ; or

(2) That it is wholly or partly blank.

2. The offense of issuing a false instrument or certificate is a .

Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.

Source & history notes

(L. 1977 S.B. 60, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17 (1996) "Issue" means to deliver from authority and does not require public distribution or circulation. State v. Moriarty, 914 S.W.2d 416 (Mo.App.W.D.).

View official source

Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.

RSMo 570.110: Issuing a false instrument or certificate | KnowMo Laws