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
How serious is a weapons charge in Missouri?
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
What are the common weapons charges in Missouri?
Unlawful use of a weapon
Allegations of carrying, displaying, or handling a firearm in a way the State says the law forbids. See each Missouri gun charge and its class.
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. See armed criminal action.
Federal firearm charges
Some firearm cases are prosecuted federally, with their own rules and sentencing exposure. See federal felon in possession charges.
How we defend a weapons case
How do you defend a firearm charge?
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
Can a weapons charge be dismissed if the search was unlawful?
It can. Most firearm cases begin with a stop or a search, and if that was unlawful the gun may be suppressed. Without the firearm in evidence, the charge often cannot stand.
What makes a weapons charge a felony in Missouri?
It usually turns on who is alleged to have possessed the firearm and in what circumstances. Prior convictions, the presence of drugs, and where the firearm was carried can all raise the level of the charge.
Can I be charged if the gun was not mine?
Yes, and it happens often. The State frequently argues constructive possession, meaning the firearm was within your control even if it was not on you. That inference is contestable, particularly in a shared car or home.
Will a conviction cost me my gun rights?
It can, and that consequence often outlasts the sentence. If restoring or preserving firearm rights matters to you, it should be part of the conversation from the start rather than an afterthought.
Is my case really a Second Amendment issue?
Sometimes there is a rights argument inside a criminal case, but a pending charge is a criminal defence matter first. Our second amendment rights page covers challenges to restrictions rather than defences to prosecution.
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 or email.
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