Criminal Defense
Weapons & Firearm Defense in Missouri
Missouri protects the right to bear arms, but weapons charges are still filed, and they carry felony exposure. Many of these cases begin with a stop or search that deserves a hard look.
What you are facing
A gun turns another charge into a bigger one.
Firearm allegations show up in two ways: as their own charge, such as unlawful use or possession of a weapon, and as an enhancement that raises the stakes on a drug, assault, or other case. Either way, a weapons charge can carry serious felony consequences, and it often turns on whether the search that found the firearm was lawful.
Charges we defend
Where weapons charges arise
Unlawful use of a weapon
Allegations of carrying, displaying, or handling a firearm in a way the State says the law forbids.
Unlawful possession
Charges based on who is alleged to have had the firearm, including cases involving a prior record.
Firearm enhancements
A weapon alleged alongside another offense can increase the charge and the potential sentence.
Federal firearm charges
Some firearm cases are prosecuted federally, with their own rules and sentencing exposure.
How we defend a weapons case
Start with how the gun was found
Challenge the search
If police found the firearm through an unlawful stop or search, we move to suppress it. Without the gun, a weapons charge can collapse.
Contest possession
The State often relies on constructive possession, arguing a firearm found in a car or home was yours. That inference can be challenged.
Lawful conduct
Missouri broadly protects gun ownership and carry. Where your conduct was lawful, we make that case, and we can address related constitutional questions.
Related work
Is your case really about your right to carry?
Some firearm matters are less about a criminal act and more about whether a restriction on your right to bear arms is even valid. If that is your situation, our constitutional practice may be the better fit.
Answers
Weapons questions we hear often
Missouri is a gun-friendly state. How can I be charged?
Missouri protects gun rights broadly, but specific conduct and specific situations can still be charged, particularly when a firearm is tied to another alleged offense or to a person the State says cannot possess one. The details matter.
Can they charge me for a firearm that was not on me?
The State often tries, using a constructive-possession theory for a gun found in a vehicle or home. Whether that theory holds up is frequently open to challenge.
Could my case be federal?
Some firearm cases are prosecuted in federal court, which carries its own rules and penalties. We defend weapons charges in both state and federal court.
Talk to us about your case
Let us look at how the firearm was found.
If you are facing a weapons or firearm charge, reach out. You can reach us by phone 24/7.
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