People convicted of felonies are not allowed to possess or purchase firearms. In Oregon, they face being charged with the crime of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, which is also a felony.

The good news is that there are three options for having your Second Amendment gun rights restored. Below is a summary of each option:

First, you may petition the court to set aside the conviction and seal the record. This is commonly referred to as expungement. Once the conviction is set aside, the conviction is “deemed not to have occurred” and you may answer all questions about it under oath as it it never happened. In other words, the conviction no longer exists, and you are legally no longer a felon. Once you are not a felon, you may buy and possess firearms.

Second, you may ask the court to reduce the felony conviction to a misdemeanor. The conviction is still there, but it’s a misdemeanor rather than a felony. Once this is done you are no longer a convicted felon and may buy and possess firearms.

Third, you may petition the court for restoration of your gun rights. This has no effect on the conviction–it is still there, but the court is allowing you to purchase/possess firearms. This is done as a civil matter and is filed in the county where you currently live, rather than the county where the conviction occurred.

Each of these options has limits and requirements and may not fit your particular situation. I would be happy to talk with you about your situation, the pros & cons of each option, and which would be best for you. Let’s put my experience and solid track record to work for you and get your gun rights back.