I was convicted of a felony controlled substance crime in 2009. In 2011, I was granted a stay of imposition, and the offense was dropped to ...

Question

I was convicted of a felony controlled substance crime in 2009. In 2011, I was granted a stay of imposition, and the offense was dropped to a misdemeanor level. However, I am still prohibited from possessing a firearm for 10 years after the initial conviction. Could I get a concealed and carry permit for a knife or CO2 powered pistol?

Answer

Any felony conviction usually will prohibit the defendant from ever legally possessing a firearm for his or her entire lifetime. Under some U.S. Department of Justice interpretations, even a subsequent reopening and reduction the felony to a misdemeanor later one may not alter this prohibition. However, there are several different laws which apply, some state and some federal, so the answer may be different if you are only asking about WI law. That being said, I would be somewhat surprised if you would still be able to get a concealed carry permit in WI with this bad of a record. My comments in this public web forum are intended only for public educational purposes and are not legal advice specifically tailored to you and your case. Instead, you should retain a lawyer in order to meet your legal needs, since I will be taking no action on your case. Disclosure of confidential information in a public web forum is not recommended and is always subject to being used against you in court. You are welcome to contact my Racine, WI office at 262-633-3090 or email me at [email protected]/* */ for further information. Web forum answers may contain attorney advertising materials.