If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun?
Under Arkansas law, it is illegal for someone to have any firearm if s/he has been convicted of a felony.1
If s/he already has a license to carry a concealed weapon, that license can be revoked (canceled) if:
- the person has been found guilty of a crime of violence within the last three years; or
- the department that issues licenses is notified by any law enforcement agency or a court that the license-holder (or applicant) is arrested or formally charged with a crime that would disqualify him/her from having a license. The license can be revoked until the criminal case is decided; at that point, it can continue to be revoked or it can be re-instated, depending on the outcome of the case.2
Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun if s/he has been convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.
1 Ark. Code § 5-73-103(a)(1)
2 See Ark. Code § 5-73-308(a)(1)(B), (a)(3)




