A criminal charge with a gun involved can be very serious because of the presence of a weapon. There are many different laws that can be implicated when a gun is involved in any situation. There are also issues of proper licensing and registration. No matter what your issue may be. An Amarillo gun lawyer can help you figure out what the law is and how to move forward with your life.
If you are a responsible gun owner, it can be frustrating to deal with a criminal charge, but a qualified lawyer can help you defend your rights.
Texas Gun Statistics
The state of Texas has over 3,200 gun-related deaths every year. Another study found that 35.9 percent of all Texans owned at least one gun. To put this another way, the population of Texas is approximately 25 million people. There are approximately 22 million guns owned in the state.
Texans own a high number of guns and therefore often need legal advice regarding their ownership. Or any gun-related incident they may have been involved in. An Amarillo gun lawyer can help with this.
Texas Open Carry Law
The state recently passed an open carry law that allows registered and licensed gun owners to openly carry their guns. These applications require fingerprinting and a mandatory four- to six-hour training course. Then, applicants must pass a written exam and a proficiency exam (to show they can shoot).
Texas Criminal Laws Involving Guns
Section 46.02 makes it illegal to carry a gun if the person intentionally, recklessly, or knowingly carries the gun to use during illegal activities or is a member of a street gang. Furthermore, the gun must be on the person’s premises or under their control. Or in a car or boat that is under their control.
Under Section 46.03 it is illegal to carry a gun in a school unless expressly authorized to do so. Also, a person cannot bring a gun to a polling place. Any government office or court, a race track, or the secured area of an airport. It is also against the law to bring a gun within 1,000 feet of a place that the Texas Department of Criminal Justice declared to be a place where executions are carried out, as long as the person received notice that it was illegal.
A defense to carrying a gun in any of the above locations is that a person is an officer of the court. A member of the armed services, a member of the national guard or a prison guard and was carrying out their duties. Or if they were not officially at their job, if they were on route to or from their job. Section 46.04 makes it unlawful to possess a gun if one has been convicted of a felony and it has been less than five years since their release. There are several other laws that are further aggravated if a gun is involved. For example, using or brandishing a gun during an assault makes the crime even worse.
Talk to an Amarillo Gun Attorney Today
Speaking to an Amarillo gun lawyer can help you understand if you are in violation of any of the licensing laws or if you have been accused of a crime that involves the use of a gun. A lawyer can also determine if there are any defenses you can use against the charges you have.
For more information on this topic please reach out to our experts from the Texas Criminal Defense Group at (866) 557-4343 or through our contact page.