If you or someone you know already owns a firearm, you know that purchasing a gun is no small task. While we have a constitutional right to buy and own a firearm, this right comes with intense restrictions. If you want to purchase a handgun in New Jersey, you must first secure a handgun purchase permit.
Different types of firearms may come with different rules for licensing. For example, someone with a permit to purchase a rifle or shotgun cannot necessarily purchase a handgun. There is a separate purchasing permit for handguns. If your application for a permit is denied, we can help you appeal that decision.
If you wish to apply for a handgun purchase permit or if your application was denied, our Atlantic County attorneys for handgun purchase permit appeals can help you. Call our offices at the Lombardo Law Group, LLC to talk about an appeal and for a free case review. Call us at (609) 445-4300.
Getting a Handgun Purchase Permit in Atlantic County
A handgun purchase permit, sometimes referred to as a permit to purchase a handgun, is an authorization from law enforcement to buy a handgun. If you are familiar with buying and selling firearms, you might also be thinking about a firearms purchaser identification card (FID). An FID is not the same thing as a handgun purchase permit. An FID does not necessarily authorize you to buy a handgun.
Applying for a handgun purchase permit is very similar to applying for an FID. In fact, people applying for a handgun purchase permit can also apply for an FID at the same time. If you have never applied for either, your application process begins at your local police department. If you live in an area not served by a local police force, you can submit your application to the New Jersey State Police in your area.
Applying for a handgun purchase permit requires submitting your personal information, fingerprints, and recommendations from people that know you. The police will also conduct background checks on your criminal history. If your application is ultimately denied, we can appeal your case in Superior Court. Our Atlantic County attorneys for handgun purchase permit appeals can walk you through this process.
What If My Application for a Handgun Purchase Permit in Atlantic County Is Denied?
Applying for a handgun purchase permit is not a guarantee that you will get the permit you want. Certain circumstances might lead to your application being denied. In such cases, we can take steps to file an appeal. It should also be noted that filing an appeal will not automatically get you your permit either. You must make effective arguments at your appeal hearing as to why your application should not have been denied. Our Atlantic County attorneys for handgun purchase permit appeals can help you plan effective legal strategies and fight to get the denial overturned.
You must make a written request for an appeal within 30 days of the date your application was denied. This gives us a very narrow timeframe to get your case started, so it is imperative that you speak with our attorneys about your application right away. Your appeal will be heard by the Superior Court in your county of residence or the county in which you submitted your application.
The police chief of your local police department must also be notified of the appeal. If you submitted your application to the New Jersey State Police instead of a local police department, you would notify the superintendent of the NJSP instead.
Once your appeal has been properly filed and scheduled, we can begin building our case for your appeal. How we approach your appeal will hinge on why your application was denied.
Common Reasons for Handgun Purchase Permit Denials in Atlantic County
There are a variety of reasons why your application for a handgun purchase permit might have been denied. Some reasons are related to your criminal record or other encounters with the criminal justice system. Other times, denials are related to your mental health background. Still other times, the state gives vague only reasons why it believes you should not be allowed to purchase a handgun.
Criminal Record Denials
Criminal convictions make obtaining firearms more difficult. In New Jersey, if you were convicted of a crime involving domestic violence, your application for a handgun purchase permit will be denied. In fact, even if you were not convicted of a crime but were bound by a restraining order or had weapons confiscated related to a domestic violence incident, you could be denied.
In such cases, we can argue at your appeal that the criminal conviction or domestic incidents that lead to your denial are too far removed. If these events happened many years ago, we have a stronger argument.
Mental Health Denials
Instead, you might be denied because you have a history of substance abuse or serious mental health issues. In such cases, we can argue that you have received the necessary treatment you needed and that past mental health and substance use issues will not affect your safety now. If you have documentation from a doctor attesting to your health and fitness, we can present this as evidence.
Other Denials
If your application was denied for less specific reasons, we can demand to know more about why your application was denied before mounting our case. Often, applications are denied because the police believe it would be against public health and safety interests. We can request specifics, and if there are no solid underlying reasons for your denial, we can demand that it be reversed. Talk to our Atlantic County attorneys for handgun purchase permit appeals for more information.
Call Our Atlantic County Attorneys for Handgun Purchase Permit Appeals
If you applied for a handgun purchase permit but were denied, we can help you begin your appeal process. Our Atlantic County lawyers for handgun purchase permit appeals can work to have your denial overturned. Call the Lombardo Law Group, LLC at (609) 445-4300 for a free case review on your appeal.
