If you want to carry a gun in Minnesota, you must also have a license to conceal and carry. Without the appropriate licensure, Minnesota police officers can charge you with public endangerment and inappropriate firearm practices.
There are circumstances in which your possession of a weapon without a license can be misinterpreted, though. If you find yourself facing what you believe to be unjust conceal and carry charges, contact our team. Knutson + Casey’s Minnesota conceal and carry charges lawyers may be able to fight to have your charges reduced or dropped.
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Minnesota’s conceal and carry laws specifically prohibit residents from carrying pistols and other firearms without an appropriate license. Residents who want to carry concealed weapons must apply to receive a permit. The state only awards permits to individuals who meet the following requirements to have a firearm on their person:
Parties interested in securing a conceal and carry permit in Minnesota should also review Minnesota Statute 624.714 to determine if they may be barred from carrying a weapon within the state’s borders.
Minnesota wants to discourage gun violence and thus enacts severe consequences on individuals believed to be carrying pistols without the appropriate license. Anyone caught in violation of Minnesota’s conceal and carry laws can face a gross misdemeanor charge. Conceal and carry gross misdemeanors can come with a $25 fine but no jail time, but you should contact an attorney to ensure the best results.
Any charge after the first violation can see you leave you with felony charges. These charges come along with significant fines and prison time, even if you were not engaged in violent behavior at the time of your arrest.
You can be charged with conceal and carry violations if police officers suspect you of carrying a weapon without the appropriate license. Officers may also charge you with a conceal and carry violation if you’re suspected of carrying a pistol with an expired license.
Whether you’re faced with a gross misdemeanor or felony charge, it’s in your best interest to contact an attorney as soon as you can after you’ve been charged. You do not want conceal and carry violations to remain on your criminal record. Our team may be able to help you challenge these charges before they can negatively impact your future.
We contest Minnesota conceal and carry charges by bringing a prosecutor’s claims regarding your permit and/or use of a pistol before a criminal judge.
Our legal team may be able to present a few different arguments when contesting your conceal and carry charges. In most conceal and carry cases, criminal defense attorneys can claim that police officers may have misinterpreted the data on your conceal and carry permit. Alternatively, we can argue that your permit was in a vehicle and/or nearby, but not on your person.
We may also be able to argue that police officers may have targeted you for conceal and carry charges based on undue bias. All of these arguments can either reduce the conceal and carry charges brought against you or have them dropped from your record entirely.
If you’re concerned about the state of your criminal record in the face of conceal and carry charges, let our team know. After some research into your history, we may be able to determine whether or not it is worthwhile to request that a court expunge any mention of your arrest from your record.
There is always a chance that a judge may not rule in your favor when assessing your conceal and carry charges. If a judge opts to move forward with your weapon charges, you’re not out of options. Our conceal and carry lawyers may be able to appeal the judge’s decision and invite the jury to reconsider the evidence we’ve presented.
Anyone interested in appealing a criminal court’s decision must submit a notice of appeal to a local appellate court within 30 days of the court’s initial ruling. The interested parties must also provide proof of service from an attending prosecutor, court administrator, and Minnesota Attorney General.
Even then, most criminal courts only allow you to appeal a case under specific circumstances. When you bring your appeal forward, you need to inform the court that you believe:
Our criminal defense attorneys may be able to work with you to establish your appeal while preparing to present your case from a new angle.
Minnesota’s conceal and carry laws are designed to keep residents as safe from unlawful guns as possible. However, there are times when Minnesota’s police force can become overzealous. If you find yourself facing false conceal and carry accusations, you need an experienced team of lawyers on your side. That’s where Knutson + Casey comes in.
Our conceal and carry charge lawyers in Minnesota can stand with you and ensure that the police department doesn’t misconstrue your position. We may then take your challenge to court and fight to have the charges brought against you dropped. To schedule a meeting with our team, call (507) 344-8888 or complete our online contact form.
Knutson and Casey Expert Legal Team
July 28, 2024
At Knutson+Casey, we take the time to understand each distinctive matter presented to us by a client in need of assistance. We make certain that our clients understand their options and can make informed decisions regarding the progress of their cases. We have 4 bar certified attorneys as well as 5 expert paralegals on staff to review all legal information and cases presented.