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Firearm Possession Prohibitions/Disabilities

At the Greensburg law firm of Goldleaf Law, PLLC, we understand gun rights. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922[g][1-9]) prohibits certain individuals from possessing, shipping/transporting, or receiving any firearm, ammunition, or explosives. The penalty for violating this law is 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. Further, 18 U.S.C. 3565(b)(2) (probation) and 3583(g)(2) (supervised release) makes it mandatory for the court to revoke supervision for possession of a firearm. Pennsylvania law (statute) contains similar prohibitions and penalties. 

Specific Federal and State Prohibitions

Knowing whether you are prohibited from possession a firearm could save you a lot of difficulty. The problem is, a person not to possess a firearm may be prohibited under various federal or state laws. We have listed the biggest ones below, in the jurisdictions where we offer services. 

Federal Law

18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1-9) prohibits the following individuals from possessing, shipping/transporting, or receiving any firearm, ammunition, or explosives:

  1. A person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year

  2. A person who is a fugitive from justice

  3. A person who is an unlawful user of or who is addicted to a controlled substance

  4. A person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been admitted to a mental institution

  5. An alien who is unlawfully in the United States or who has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa

  6. A person who has been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions

  7. A person who, having been a citizen of the United States, renounces his citizenship

  8. A person subject to a court order that was issued after a hearing in which the person participated, which order restrains the person from harassing, stalking or threatening an intimate partner or partner’s child, and which order includes a finding that the person is a credible threat to such partner or partner’s child, or by its terms prohibits the use, attempted use or threatened use of such force against such partner or partner’s child (often includes Final Protection from Abuse Orders and similar restraining orders)

  9. A person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence

Possession of a firearm is also defined very broadly. A person has possession "when a person knowingly has the power and intention at a given time of exercising dominion and control over the object or over the area in which the object is locate. . . .”  If you know a firearm is present in your residence, vehicle, etc., and if it can be shown that you have the ability to access and exercise control over that firearm personally or through another individual, then you could be considered to have possession of the firearm. You would then be subject to new criminal charges and/or revocation of supervision of your probation or parole.

Pennsylvania Law

Coming Soon!

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