联邦及各州枪支法
美国的枪支法律是由联邦、州和地方的法律共同组成,因此无论您是否携带枪支,您都需要了解相关规定。以下就让我们围绕枪支所有权的一些问题进行分析。
联邦法律限制向年满 18 岁或以上的个人销售霰弹枪、步枪和弹药,而手枪则至少年满 21 岁。此外,联邦法还禁止被定罪的重罪犯、在美国非法居住的外国人和其他类别的人拥有枪支或弹药。
州法律通常是在遵循联邦法的基础上,或对枪支所有权设定额外要求。例如:加利福尼亚需要居住证明才能在该州购买枪支。
作为一般规则,州法律决定了您在外出时可以携带枪支的地点、时间和方式。例如,一些州允许公开携带,这意味着枪支可以在公共场合携带,无需隐藏在视线之外。
而其他只允许在公共场合隐蔽携带的州,您必须获得州许可证,并且枪支必须隐藏在视线之外。此外,无论是公开携带还是隐藏携带,私营企业和政府大楼都可能禁止人们携带枪支进入。
枪支使用
州法律只允许在面临迫在眉睫的严重身体伤害或死亡时使用枪支来保护自己或他人的安全。但是确定在怎样的情况下属于自卫行为本身是非常困难的。如果在非正当防卫的情况下使用枪支,那么可能会面临被逮捕。
一些州通过的“城堡法”赋予房主射杀入侵者的权利:即无需等待入侵者实施实际威胁。根据您所在州的法律,射击手无寸铁的入侵者可能是合理的;但如果您在没有城堡法的州(例如加利福尼亚州)这样做,您将可能会面临刑事指控。
另一个使用枪支来保护自己或您的企业时要考虑的问题是,您的枪支是否合法拥有。例如:如果您所在州的法律要求获得隐蔽枪支许可证,那么您没有许可证这一事实可能会迫使警方在调查您营业场所抢劫案件的同时,指控您非法持有枪支。
除此之外,在枪支方面要注意的另一件事是就是您目前的移民身份。联邦法律并不禁止在美国合法居住的外国人拥有枪支,但也存在例外。
对于持有非移民签证的人,可能无法在美国拥有枪支。但是,如果您专门去美国打猎并持有有效的狩猎许可证,您可能得到批准,成为允许您拥有枪支的例外情况之一。应咨询移民律师,以确定您的移民身份是否影响您拥有和拥有枪支的权利。
了解更多如何保护您的权利
无论您是犯罪的受害者,还是因涉嫌违法被警方逮捕,您都拥有必须受到保护的权利。 Tung & Associates 是一家提供全方位服务的律师事务所,其律师能够为涉及刑法、人身伤害、移民等案件提供卓越的代理服务。立即联系我们进行咨询,了解更多关于如何积极争取保护您的权利的信息。
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Federal and state gun laws
Gun laws in the U.S. are a patchwork of federal, state and local laws, so you need to know the rules in place wherever you take a firearm. Let’s look at a few of the issues surrounding gun ownership.
Federal law restricts the sale of shotguns, rifles and ammunition to individuals 18 years of age or older, and at least 21 years of age for handguns. It also prohibits convicted felons, aliens unlawfully in the U.S. and other categories of people from possessing guns or ammunition.
State laws generally follow the federal guidelines or set additional requirements for gun ownership. For example, California requires proof of residency to buy a gun in the state.
As a general rule, state law determines where, when and how you may carry a firearm when outside of your home. For example, some states allow open carry, which means a firearm may be carried in public and need not be concealed from view.
Other states only allow concealed carry in public. You must get a state permit and the gun must be concealed from view. Private businesses and government buildings may prohibit people from entering with a firearm whether open carry or concealed.
Using a firearmState laws permit the use of a firearm only to defend yourself or another person against imminent serious bodily harm or death. Determining what is self-defense is difficult. Get it wrong and you may be arrested.“Castle laws” passed in some states give homeowners the right to shoot an intruder without waiting for an actual threat. Shooting an unarmed intruder may be justified under the law in your state, but you will face criminal charges if you do it in California, which does not have a castle law.
Another issue to consider when resorting to use of a firearm to defend yourself or your business is whether or not the firearm is legally possessed. For example, if the law in your state requires a permit for a concealed firearm, the fact that you do not have one could force the police investigating a robbery attempt at your place of business to charge you with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Another thing to be mindful of when it comes to firearms is your current immigration status. Federal law does not prevent an alien who is lawfully in the U.S. from owning a firearm, but there are exceptions to the general rule.
If you are in the U.S. under a nonimmigrant visa, you may not own a firearm. However, if you traveled to the U.S. specifically for hunting and have a valid hunting license, you may meet one of the exceptions allowing you to have a firearm. An immigration lawyer should be consulted to determine how your immigration status may affect your right to own and possess a firearm.
Learn more about protecting your rights
Whether you are the victim of a crime or were arrested by the police on suspicion of breaking the law, you have rights that must be protected. Tung & Associates is a full-service law firm with attorneys capable of providing superior representation for cases involving criminal law, personal injury, immigration and more. Contact us today for a consultation to learn more about how we aggressively fight to protect your rights.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is for general information purposes only. It is not offered as legal advice and should not be construed or relied upon as such by a reader. Nothing contained in it is intended as legal advice or presented for the purpose of establishing an attorney-client relationship.
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