what type of lawyer do i need to restore my gun rights as a felon in west virginia

by Prof. Eugene Bergnaum 7 min read

Can convicted felons get their gun rights restored in Virginia?

However, Virginia law provides certain mechanisms by which convicted felons may have their gun rights restored. If you were previously convicted of a felony, an experienced Virginia gun lawyer can help you to understand what steps you must take in order to seek the restoration of your gun rights.

Can a lawyer help restore my gun rights?

But with an experienced gun rights lawyer, you can restore your rights. Thankfully, at Findley & Rogers, our lawyers for restoring gun rights can help you regain your firearm rights.

How do I get my gun rights back after a felony?

Understand federal law. Currently, the federal Gun Control Act prohibits anyone from selling or disposing of a gun to anyone convicted of a felony. By law, in order to get your gun rights restored, you would need to submit an application to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF).

Can a felony conviction affect my gun rights in Washington State?

In the State of Washington, felony convictions and some misdemeanors can result in the loss of your right to possess, carry, or control a firearm. But with an experienced gun rights lawyer, you can restore your rights. Thankfully, at Findley & Rogers, our lawyers for restoring gun rights can help you regain your firearm rights.

Does Vacating / Expunging a Conviction Restore My Firearm Rights?

No, that is a separate process in Washington.However, at Findley & Rogers, we offer both of these services. Whether you need a gun rights lawyer, o...

I Have a Federal Conviction. Can I Restore My Rights?

As gun rights lawyers in Washington State, we get this question fairly often, and sadly the answer is, mostly, “no.”Federal law does not presently...

I Had an Involuntary Commitment. Can I Restore My Firearm Rights?

Washington law does allow people with involuntary mental health commitments in their medical history to restore their firearm rights. However, the...

I Was Previously Allowed to Purchase a Firearm, but Now Am Being Denied. What Happened?

Any number of things could explain a sudden change in your ability to purchase a firearm.One common reason we encounter as gun rights attorneys is...

I Had an Out-of-State Conviction and Had My Rights Restored There. Do I Have to Restore My Rights in...

Yes, Washington does not recognize the restoration of rights from another State unless it is the equivalent of a full unconditional governor's pard...

I Tried to Purchase a Firearm and Was Denied. Can I Be Charged With A Crime?

If your purchase denial was as a result of a legal loss of firearm rights, then, yes, you technically could be charged with attempted unlawful poss...

I Have Had My Rights Restored. How Do I Answer The Questions on ATF Form 4473 About Past Convictions...

The ATF Form 4473 has an instruction that states that, if you have had your rights restored, you should answer “no” to the question asking if you w...

What is the best mechanism for gun rights restoration?

The best mechanism for gun rights restoration is a court-ordered reduction of an offense from a felony to a misdemeanor. This will not work for certain bans which apply to misdemeanor convictions. We know it can be difficult to know where to start. We can make a game plan for you.

Why is my gun purchase denied?

Gun purchases are always denied based upon state or federal level records. You will not be denied a firearm purchase because of an incorrect court or police record if the state and federal records are accurate.

What to do if DOJ records are incorrect?

If DOJ records are incorrect, and it is verified that the submitting agencies have all submitted the information required for the records to be corrected, you can complete an administrative review process with the DOJ to request an update. If they refuse, you can sue to force an update.

What is a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction?

Domestic violence convictions include any offense which is committed against a girlfriend/boyfriend, spouse, or ex or a child of yours or of a significant other which involves touching or the threat of touching.

How long can you be banned from firearms in California?

There are also other California offenses which can cause a 10 year ban. Certain juvenile offenses can trigger a ban until you reach the age of 30. Lifeback Legal can help you figure out if you are under a firearm ban and what it will take to restore your gun rights.

Does Lifeback Legal do a firearm check?

While these checks are not definitive, they will generally work to let you know if you should be addressing an issue prior to purchasing a gun. Lifeback Legal can complete a thorough firearm check in our office to verify if any bans apply to you. Lifeback legal was easy to work with and got my case granted fast.

Who is Lifeback Legal?

Randall. Our law firm stands by your Second Amendment rights and helps those whose rights have been taken away or who have received a wrongful denial and require an appeal. Our expert gun rights restoration attorneys are prepared to take on the issues to give you back the constitutional rights that you deserve.

How long do you have to wait to get your firearm back after a felony?

If you lost your rights as a result of a felony, you must wait for at least five years without any convictions of any sort before you are eligible to restore your firearm rights. This does not need to be the most recent five years, but must be after your felony conviction.

What happens if you get convicted of a crime in Washington?

In the State of Washington, felony convictions and some misdemeanors can result in the loss of your right to possess, carry, or control a firearm.

Can you get a felony for being in the same room with a gun?

When your firearm rights have been revoked, it is possible to get a felony conviction just for being in the same room with a gun even if it is owned by someone else. This is why you need an experienced gun rights lawyer to help you regain your firearm rights.

Can a gun rights lawyer help you with a restraining order?

A gun rights lawyer can’t help you restore your rights if you’re facing new charges. You are not the subject of a restraining order.

Can you get a felony conviction for a gun if you have a revoked license?

The Benefits of Restoring Your Rights. Restoring your gun rights with the help of a Findley & Rogers gun rights lawyer means you can: When your firearm rights have been revoked, it is possible to get a felony conviction just for being in the same room with a gun even if it is owned by someone else.

How to get your gun rights back after conviction?

Apply for an expungement. Before applying for the restoration of your gun rights, you need to receive post-conviction relief. An expungement is a form of relief that will seal your arrest and conviction records, thereby making them disappear.

How to get your gun rights back?

In order to get your firearm rights back, you will need permission of both the federal government and your state. To begin the process, you need to research your state law and then apply for a pardon, expungement, or restoration of your civil rights. Getting back your gun rights can be very difficult. For this reason, you should employ the ...

How do I get my gun rights back after being expunged?

Get the application. Once you have received your expungement, restoration of civil rights, or pardon, you then need to apply to have your gun rights restored. Your state should have an application. Many states have uploaded their applications onto the web.

How to get an expungement?

Generally, the more serious the offense, the more time you must wait. Get an application. You will need to fill out an application or a petition in order to apply for an expungement. In it, you will need to list the dates of your convictions. You also will need to provide certified copies of your court papers.

What to do instead of an expungement?

2. Petition for the restoration of your civil rights. Instead of an expungement, you could apply for restoration of your civil rights. Your civil rights include your right to vote, to serve on a jury, and to run for public office. As with an expungement, states have different requirements.

What to do if you are convicted of a crime?

Read your state law. If you were convicted of a state crime, then you can seek a pardon, expungement, or restoration of your civil rights from your Governor. You must find out whether or not you can get this post-conviction relief along with the right to possess a firearm.

When will civil rights be restored?

In many states, your civil rights will be automatically restored after the completion of your sentence if you are a first-time offender. In other states, only some rights (such as the right to vote) will be automatically restored; you must apply for restoration of the others.

What happens if you get a felony in Virginia?

Following a felony conviction in a Virginia Circuit Court, the Court located in the jurisdiction in which you live or the court in which you were convicted has granted you permission to carry or possess a firearm without restriction. Following a felony conviction in a state other than Virginia, the Governor or other legal authority ...

Which case ruled that gun rights were governed by the law of the convicting jurisdiction?

It is important to note that, as decided in Beecham v. United States , 511 U .S. 368 (1994), the restoration of gun rights is governed by the law of the convicting jurisdiction.

When did McAuliffe restore civil rights?

On April 22, 2016, Governor Terry McAuliffe signed an order restoring the civil rights of 206,000 Virginians who were previously convicted of a felony and had served their sentence and completed any supervised release.

Can you seek restoration of civil rights in Virginia?

Following the restoration of your civil rights, you may be eligible to seek the restoration. Under Section C of Virginia Code §18.2-308.2, you may be eligible if: Under Article V, Section 12 of the Constitution of Virginia, you have been pardoned for your offense or your political disabilities have been removed and the corresponding executive order ...

Is it a felony to own a gun in Virginia?

Under Virginia Code §18.2-308.2, it is a felony for any individual who has been convicted of a felony to possess a firearm. However, Virginia law provides certain mechanisms by which convicted felons may have their gun rights restored.

What are the requirements to restore your rights as a felon?

When it comes to restoring your rights as a convicted felon, there are some extra requirements, such as knowing the specific dates of your conviction, or providing the discharge paperwork from the state or federal correctional institute if you were incarcerated.

What rights do felons lose?

Once convicted, a felon loses many basic rights such as, the right to hold public office, exclusion from jury duty, the right to possess a firearm, and more importantly, the right to vote. Exclusion from sitting on a jury is generally a lifetime ban and little headway has been made in restoring this privilege.

What happens if you are convicted of a felony?

Moreover, once a person is convicted of a felony, whether they served time in prison or not, they are forever referred to as a “felon.”. Here, we’ll discuss what’s involved in restoring your rights as convicted felon. Once convicted, a felon loses many basic rights such as, the right to hold public office, exclusion from jury duty, ...

What is the ban on firearms?

§ 922 (g)) and prohibits felons from owning firearms, unless that specific right has been restored. With regards to the right vote, it generally varies by jurisdiction.

Which states allow felons to vote absent?

Most states allow voter right restoration after a period of time or completion of probation or parole, however three states, Virginia, Florida, and Kentucky have lifetime bans on a felons right to vote absent approval from the state’s Governor. [2]

Can you petition the court to restore your gun rights in Arizona?

Here in Arizona, you can petition the court to restore your civil (voting) rights, gun rights, and request that your judgment be set aside all in the same form! When applying for the restoration of your gun rights, you’ll have to provide the court a brief explanation of why you’re requesting the right to possess or own a firearm.

Do the crimes forfeit your rights for eternity?

You know the old saying, “do the crime, forfeit your constitutional rights for eternity?” No, well neither have I. However, in many jurisdictions, both state and federal, there are laws that abolish certain constitutional rights once a person has been convicted of ANY felony. Here in the United States, felonies are considered crimes punishable by incarceration of more than one year in a state or federal prison, and misdemeanors are considered crimes punishable by local jail sentences, fines, or both. [1] Moreover, once a person is convicted of a felony, whether they served time in prison or not, they are forever referred to as a “felon.” Here, we’ll discuss what’s involved in restoring your rights as convicted felon.

How to get gun rights restored after conviction?

There are two basic ways to have gun rights restored after an eligible conviction: by having a “wobbler” felony reduced to a misdemeanor, or. by receiving a pardon from the California governor. A “wobbler” is an offense that can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor.

What is the Penal Code for a firearm in California?

1.1. Lifetime ban — felonies and weapons-related misdemeanors. Penal Code 29800 PC is California’s “felon with a firearm” law. It imposes a lifetime firearms ban on anyone who has been convicted of a felony offense in any state or country.

What happens if you get convicted of a felony in California?

California’s firearms laws are strict and federal laws are even stricter. If you are convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors, you will lose your right to possess a gun in California.

Can you get a firearm back if you are convicted of a felony?

you were convicted of a felony and are done with probation and/or county jail time; or. you were convicted of a felony and were never given any probation at all but were sentenced to county jail. If the court reduces your felony to a misdemeanor, your right to possess a firearm will generally be restored.

Can a felony wobbler be a misdemeanor?

Reducing a felony “wobbler” to a misdemeanor. A “wobbler” offense is a crime that can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor, in the prosecutor’s discretion. If you were convicted of a qualifying felony wobbler, you can regain your gun rights by reducing your California felony to a misdemeanor.

Is there a lifetime ban on firearms in California?

However, federal law imposes a lifetime firearms ban after such a convi ction.

Can you restore your gun rights in California?

How to restore your California gun rights. If you have been convicted of a California felony involving a dangerous weapon, there is no way to restore your firearms rights. California law defines “dangerous weapon” as any weapon, instrument, or object capable of being used to inflict great bodily injury or death.

What to do if you lost your gun rights?

If you lost firearm rights because of an involuntary commitment for mental health treatment, we can petition to restore your rights. We would file the petition in state court. We would argue that you present no danger to others and that granting relief would be in the public interest. If the court grants the petition, the court would sign an order directing the FBI to remove the involuntary commitment from your background check. The procedure was put in place in North Carolina after Congress passed the federal NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007.

How long can you get your gun rights back after probation?

We can apply for restoration of rights 20 years after the end of your active sentence or the end of your probation. You may be eligible for restoration even if you have other marks on your record. If numbers one and two are unavailable to you, it may be possible to file a lawsuit asking for your gun rights to be restored.

What to do if you are denied a gun because of a NICS background check?

If you applied to purchase a firearm and were denied because of a NICS background check, you have the right to appeal to a higher level of the FBI. The normal way to appeal is submitting a Voluntary Appeal File (VAF).

What happens if you get a felony in prison?

The consequences of a felony conviction do not end when you are released from prison. Your record follows you and interferes with your life in many ways, including preventing you from owning a gun or ammunition.

What happens if the court grants the petition?

If the court grants the petition, the court would sign an order directing the FBI to remove the involuntary commitment from your background check. The procedure was put in place in North Carolina after Congress passed the federal NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007.

Can a convicted felon get his gun rights restored?

Not all convicted felons are eligible for restoration of their gun rights. You cannot obtain gun rights if: You were convicted of a federal felony. You were convicted of a state felony in a state other than North Carolina. Essentially, the option to have gun rights restored is only available to those who were convicted in a state court within ...

What happens if you take your gun rights away in another state?

A: If your gun rights were taken away in another state you are going to have to have them restored in that state. Florida cannot restore what it did not take away. Once your rights are restored in the prohibiting state, under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Florida will recognize the restoration of your rights.

How long can you buy a gun from a federally licensed dealer?

A: If adjudication was withheld, then you are prohibited from purchasing a firearm from a federally licensed dealer for three years. You do not have to apply for executive clemency because you were not adjudicated guilty.

Can a felon have his gun rights taken away?

A: If you are a felon or have plead guilty to or been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence you may have had your firearm rights taken away. There is a process by which your gun rights can be restored.

What is the underlying conviction for a firearm?

The underlying conviction is the conviction which resulted in revocation of your gun rights. If the underlying conviction is a Class A felony ...

What happens if you lose your gun rights?

If you lost your gun rights for a domestic violence crime, federal law has its own firearms restrictions. Currently, there is no restoration procedure under federal law. Consequently, even if your rights are restored under state law following a domestic violence conviction, the federal government will not recognize the state order.

How long is the 4th degree assault?

For misdemeanors like Assault in the Fourth Degree (Domestic Violence) the period is three years. By criminal offense, the law means ANY criminal law violation, from felonies to simple misdemeanors. The crimes do not have to be violent in nature to prohibit restoration. Based upon this information, if you think you may be eligible, ...

Is it illegal to own a gun in Washington?

Unlawful possession of a firearm is a felony under Washington law. Even those who lack interest in firearms can be affected by having these rights revoked. If you have lost this right, this precludes you from knowingly possessing or having access to a firearm.

Can you deny a CPL if you have been convicted of domestic violence?

If your rights have been restored following a domestic violence conviction, some jurisdictions will consider your state restoration valid if the newly restored right was the only “hold” on your firearms rights. Other jurisdictions will interpret the lingering federal prohibition as a grounds to deny your CPL.

Does the ATF do background checks?

Since the ATF performs all firearms background checks , this will cause problems when attempting to purchase a firearm from a dealer. However, it is worth noting that the federal definition of “domestic violence” is less broad than Washington's definition.

Can you restore your gun rights in Washington?

If the underlying conviction is a Class A felony or sex offense, you will never be eligible to restore your gun rights under Washington law. Restoration is not legally possible until the individual has completed a specified period of time in which they are crime free. That is they cannot be convicted of ANY criminal offense during that period ...

Restoration of Civil Rights

  • Section C of Virginia Code §18.2-308.2sets forth the processes by which gun rights may be restored. Under this section, any individual who has been previously convicted of a felony and wishes to have his or her gun rights restored must first apply to the Governor of Virginia for the restoration of his or her civil rights. Such rights include the right to vote, the right to serve on a ju…
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Restoration of Gun Rights

  • Following the restoration of your civil rights, you may be eligible to seek the restoration. Under Section C of Virginia Code §18.2-308.2, you may be eligible if: 1. Under Article V, Section 12 of the Constitution of Virginia, you have been pardoned for your offense or your political disabilities have been removed and the corresponding executive order was issued without any restrictions on yo…
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Contacting A Virginia Felony Gun Rights Restoration Lawyer

  • If you have been charged with a felony in a Virginia Circuit Court and wish to seek the restoration of your gun rights following completion of your sentence, it is important to contact a Virginia gun rights restoration lawyer. Our lawyers are aware of the state and federal laws that may impact the restoration of your gun rights and can help you to ...
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