Wisconsin gun permit appeal threatens domestic violence victims
A Cottage Grove man is fighting Wisconsin courts to obtain a concealed weapon permit after the state refused him one because of a prior conviction. As the only individual out of more than 5,800 applicants to have the permit denied, the man is appealing the decision because his sole conviction results from a domestic violence incident. If he wins his case, it could clear the way for those convicted of certain domestic violence issues to carry concealed weapons.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice denied the man in question a permit for a gun earlier in 2012 because he was convicted of domestic violence in 2002. The incident in question involved his step-daughter, a woman with whom he does not have a current relationship with. The United States Congress passed the Lautenberg Amendment in 1996, which prohibits those convicted of domestic violence acts from possessing firearms. Claiming that he never had a parental relationship with the woman in question when he married her mother, the man indicated that he entered a no-contest plea only to pushing her out of a door but never hitting her.
Even though the man pursuing the permit has no other criminal history, a potential ruling in his favor has frightening implications for those who have been victims of domestic violence. Individuals convicted of disorderly conduct have been deemed guilty of behavior that can be violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous or unreasonably loud. Such actions can be frightening to those who have protective orders or other judgments against domestic partners.
Working with attorneys familiar with Wisconsin’s family and abuse laws may be necessary for victims of domestic violence who want to protect themselves. Knowledgeable and experienced attorneys may be able to help victims secure orders of protection and get relief from emotional stress and other issues associated with domestic violence.
Source: TH Online, “Domestic violence is issue in Wisconsin gun case“, September 03, 2013
