Gun Laws in Bucks County
A knowledgeable local attorney can help you understand the gun laws in Bucks County, and defend you should you find yourself facing charges. However, even if you are not facing charges and simply want to be sure that you are following all applicable laws, meeting with a Bucks County gun lawyer can help ensure that you do not inadvertently overstep the boundaries.
Enforcement Approach
A person should be aware that gun laws in Bucks County are consistent with the entire state of Pennsylvania, otherwise known as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Bucks County prosecutes gun charges in a very serious fashion.
An individual who is not otherwise authorized to have a firearm or by law is prevented from having a firearm should understand that this is one of the counties that puts their foot down when prosecuting serious gun cases.
Recent Legislation
Recent legislation has made it easier for individuals who are authorized to have firearms, to actually own them, purchase them, and use them. However, on the opposite side, individuals who are found to be in possession of firearms they are not authorized to use - because of perhaps a mental incapacity, a specific case against them, or by law or statute - are reprimanded more harshly.
The Pennsylvania sentencing guidelines have increased the amount of time that an individual who is not authorized to have a firearm can serve. Additionally, third degree felony is no longer the highest gun offense; second degree felony under Section 6105 states that a convicted felon with a firearm is now graded in such a way that a person faces a sentence of 5 to 10 years and up to a $25,000 fine, in addition to any other charges that the person may also be charged with.
Therefore, on the legal side, it is easier to purchase, own, and use a firearm in Bucks County. At the same time, the penalties have been increased to punish those who should not have a firearm, who are not authorized by law to have a firearm,or are incapacitated in a way that prevents them from having a firearm.
Connection to National Conversation
Bucks County is consistent with the national conversation about guns. Just like the gun laws in Bucks County, recent national legislation makes it easier for individuals to own, purchase, and use a firearm as long as they are law-abiding citizens and are within their rights to do so.
However, those not authorized by law to have a firearm and those who because of a prior conviction are prevented by law on the state or local level from having a firearm, are prosecuted with greater intensity and potential penalties.
Potential Future Direction
The future holds many options for gun owners as well as for those who wish to lawfully obtain, purchase, acquire, and use firearms. Future gun laws are dictated by governmental regulations in a particular direction.
Today, those regulations make it easier for individuals who are lawfully able to own guns, to buy any ammunition, and other items in support of weapons, while at the same time treating those not authorized to have guns because of things such as prior convictions more harshly.
Individuals who are convicted felons will never be able to own a firearm, just as individuals who are lawful owners of firearms will be able to continue purchasing those firearms, ammunition, and components to support those firearms.
How An Attorney Can Help
Gun cases can carry long periods of incarceration, probation,and serious fines. Individuals with gun cases in Bucks County should understand that knowing the courts and knowing the local regulations which are consistent with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is of the utmost most importance. Having a representative can help significantly mitigate any damages.
Gun convictions should be treated seriously and cannot be reversed once they occur. Therefore, all resources should be engaged in defending against charges, avoiding a conviction at all costs. In cases involving a felony, where dismissal or acquittal may not be an option, a local lawyer can work to to possibly reduce the charge to a misdemeanor.