Re: Gun Rights [WA] restored

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On 5/17/05, Paul T. Ferris wrote:
> Persons with class A felonies (max penalty 20+ years) and felony
> sex offenses must have a pardon to remove firearm prohibitions.
>
> Persons with domestic violence misdemeanor committed prior to July
> 1, 1993, are not prohibited from having firearms under WA state
> law, but must have a pardon (that does not expressly prohibit
> possession of firearms) to remove the firearm disability under
> federal law. (Such persons can possess muzzleloaders)
>
> Persons with a class B or C felony, or a domestic violence
> misdemeanor committed on or after July 1, 1993, can regain the
> right to possess firearms by filing a petition in superior court,
> PROVIDED the eligiblity requirements are met.
>
> These are the basic rules. There are exceptions to each of these
> rules. For example, Negligent Homocide (class A felony) was a
> class B felony from 1971 to 1996. Many pre-1993 DV misdemeanors
> prosecuted under municipal ordinances do not qualify as a
> prohibitive offense under federal law.
>
> If you are eligible to petition, do so as soon as you can. A new
> conviction for ANY criminal offense, no matter how minor, will
> trigger a new 5 year waiting period for eligibility.
>
> If you are unsure whether you are prohibited from possessing
> firearms or eligible to regain your firearm rights, seek the advice
> of a competent attorney. I have had many clients who were
> unsuccessful in attempting to handle the the restoration of firearm
> rights, NICS appeals and CWP appeals on their own, or with an
> inexperienced attorney.
>