If I am convicted of domestic violence in Alabama, am I prohibited from possessing a firearm?
Yes, you are.
Section 13 A – 11 – 72 (a) specifically states:
"no person who is been convicted in the state or elsewhere of committing or attempting to commit a crime of violence or a misdemeanor offense of domestic violence shall own a firearm or have one in their possession or under their control". The law also prohibits anyone who is subject to a valid protection order for domestic abuse from possessing a firearm or having one under their control.
The crime is commonly referred to as Alabama's Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess a Firearm law. This is a is a class C felony under Alabama law. Punishment ranges from a year and a day to 10 years in prison.
The best ways of avoiding these issues are to avoid getting convicted of domestic violence crime or, if it's too late for that doing what you can to avoid a conviction under this section.
To do that, you probably want the help of an attorney.
👉 To understand how this fits into the overall defense strategy, see How Criminal Defense Works in Alabama
📞 Call to speak with a Huntsville criminal defense lawyer about your case.
