Can a Felon Own a Gun?

There are so many questions when it comes to firearm possession, and you want to do everything by the books before you own a gun. But what if you have a felony conviction? Will you be arrested for possessing a gun? Can felons even own guns?

Can Felons Own Firearms?

Firearms include handguns, rifles, or any assault weapons. For most states, being a convicted felon denies you the right to purchase, own, or possess a firearm. If you are ever caught with one, you can be arrested and face charges for a different crime, “felon with a firearm.”

These charges usually come with different consequences, including receiving a lifetime ban, such that you will never be allowed to own a gun. However, the good news is that a felon can own a gun if they remain law-abiding. This means that there are chances that you can restore your gun rights.

How Can You Restore Your Gun Rights If You Are a Felon?

Although the general rule for most states is that a formerly convicted felon cannot own a firearm, there is a silver lining. It depends on your case, the facts, and the state you were convicted in. Many states allow you to own a gun again if:

• You successfully file for expungement
• You manage to have your conviction reduced to only a misdemeanor
• You successfully file a court order to have your gun rights restored
• You obtain a pardon (being pardoned by state governors after committing a non-federal crime or pardoned by the President after committing a federal crime)
• Some time has elapsed after being convicted (some states don’t require any action for your gun rights to be restored; you can regain it after some time post-conviction)

How an Attorney Can Defend You After Being Charged With “Felon With a Firearm?”

You need an experienced legal team to help you battle such charges. If you are a previous felon caught in possession of a firearm, attorneys could argue that:

• The gun was found after an unlawful search; therefore, it cannot be submitted as evidence.
• You didn’t know the gun was in your possession, so you did not possess it.
• You were only a victim of mistaken identity, that the gun was in possession of someone else.
• Someone was trying to set you up and falsely accused you.
• You had to use the gun for self-defense to protect yourself or someone else.

Seek Legal Help

You need a brilliant and experienced criminal defense attorney in Minneapolis like Lynne Torgerson to help you regain your gun rights even as a felon or to get the charges of “felon with a firearm” dropped.