This is the first post in a series which will discuss the impact of Arizona criminal charges on an accused person’s gun rights. I am addressing this topic as many people are often confused about how their rights to own a firearm are impacted by being charged and I field many questions on the topic. My goal with this series is to assist people in understanding how a criminal allegation impacts their rights.
I will be addressing several topics over my coming articles. Subjects I will look at include:
- How a felony or domestic violence conviction impacts one’s gun rights
- How an Arizona resident’s rights may be preserved through a plea agreement
- Protecting one’s gun rights through defending the case
- The possibility of maintaining firearm rights through the sealing of criminal records
These are important topics as many are confused as to whether they will keep their firearms; some mistakenly believe they will be able to and some mistakenly believe they will not be able to. By better understanding these issues one is less likely to begin their defense with a flawed strategy. I cannot stress enough that if you have been charged with a crime then you should contact an attorney immediately.
One does not have to be convicted of a felony to lose their rights to own a gun. Being convicted of domestic violence will also make firearm possession illegal under U.S.C. 922(g). This means that one will not be able to own or possess a gun in any state due to Federal restrictions. It is possible, however, to accept a plea agreement in which one’s final conviction will be for a crime which does not deprive the accused of gun ownership rights. This may be an option if the defendant is not able to defend the case at a trial. It may also be possible to restore one’s ownership rights through the sealing of a criminal record.
If you are concerned about your gun ownership rights then contact my office today to speak with a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer. I assist those charged with domestic violence as well as other crimes. We pride ourselves on providing a high level of service and we strive to do so in each and every case. In addition to Phoenix we represent defendants in other Maricopa County cities such as Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Chandler, and Gilbert. We also assist Pima County residents in Tucson. Call today to speak with an attorney.
