Firearm prohibitions apply for both a misdemeanor and a felony
In the state of California as in other areas of the country, the laws pertaining to the possession of firearms keep changing.
At the present time, people with either felony or misdemeanor convictions, including juveniles, face a variety of firearm prohibitions.
Five-year prohibitions
A five-year firearm prohibition under the California Welfare and Institutions Code pertains to anyone taken into custody and admitted to a mental health facility due to being a danger to self or others. The five-year term also pertains to anyone who threatens a licensed psychotherapist. Those who are under a gun violence restraining order but still possess a firearm or ammunition are guilty of a misdemeanor.
10-year prohibitions
There are a large number of sections of the California Penal Code that address firearm possession from the point of view of a misdemeanor charge.
Lifetime prohibitions
People who qualify for a lifetime prohibition of firearms possession include:
- Those with a felony conviction due to a violent offense such as rape or murder
- Those convicted of a misdemeanor violation including assault
- Those with a conviction for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or significant other
- Those having two or more convictions for drawing or exhibiting a firearm in an angry or threatening manner
Juvenile or minor prohibitions
Wards of the juvenile court cannot own or possess a firearm until they become 30 years of age. It is unlawful for a minor to possess a handgun unless accompanied by a parent or other adult while engaged in a sporting, ranching, hunting or recreational activity, or engaged in a film, television or entertainment event.