Protecting our children is the fundamental reason many of us own and carry our firearms. Securing those firearms in our homes is just as important as understanding how to use them in the outside world. Let’s take a look at the laws in your state regarding securing firearms from children.

Can you get in trouble if your child gets access to your firearm? Yes, you can. You can be charged with a felony if you intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly make a firearm available to your child. Now, obviously the self-defense is going to be an issue that we litigate heavily for your child because, for the obvious reasons, they were using this firearm to defend themselves or a third party. They would be judged under the reasonableness standard.

If you make your firearm available to a child and that child commits a felony with the firearm, now you could be charged with the felony. Obviously, the centerpiece of your defense would be that your child was using that firearm in self-defense. Therefore, we would be using that self-defense argument for you as well (as well as a host of other affirmative defenses).

If you have any questions about the legality of storing your firearms, call U.S. LawShield and ask to speak to an Independent Program Attorney.