Cass County Clerk Jeff Fletcher Missouri Cases

Herschel Young, who previously pleaded guilty to a felony, sought to be a candidate for public office despite receiving a gubernatorial pardon for the conviction. The Cass County Clerk filed a petition for declaratory judgment, and the circuit court determined Young was not qualified under Missouri law. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed, holding that while a pardon extinguishes a conviction, it does not erase the fact of a guilty plea, which is the basis for disqualification under section 115.306.1. The Court also found Young's equal protection claim was not preserved for appellate review.