State Gun Laws

If the judge orders the abuser to give up his/her firearms as part of your PFA, and the abuser fails to do so in the time given by the judge, s/he could be charged with a misdemeanor in the second degree, which carries a sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.¹ S/he may also possibly be charged with the crime of contempt for violating the PFA, which could carry a penalty of a fine of between $300 - $1,000 and imprisonment or supervised probation for up to six months.²

If the abuser was convicted of one of the felonies which makes it illegal for him/her to own a gun, and s/he has a gun anyway, s/he could be charged with a felony in the second degree, which carries a penalty of a fine of up to $25,000 and prison of up to ten years.³

In addition, federal laws, which apply to all states, also restrict a person’s right to have a gun if s/he has been convicted of certain crimes or if there is an order of protection against him/her that meets certain requirements. Violating federal law carries additional criminal penalties than the ones mentioned above. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6105(a.1)(2); 1101; 1104
² 23 Pa.C.S.A. § 6114(b)(1)
³ 18 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 6105(a.1)(1); 1101; 1103