Supreme Court Rules Individuals Convicted of Domestic Violence Cannot Own a Gun
Today, in Voisine v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence are prohibited from owning a gun under U.S.C. §922(g)(9). In another Supreme Court case, United States v. Castleman, the Court established that an individual loses his or her gun rights after being convicted of intentional domestic assault; however, there was still a question of whether an individual could be prohibited from owing a gun when the domestic violence conduct was reckless and not intentional.
Short Answer: Yes, an individual convicted of reckless domestic assault or battery is prohibited from owning a gun under federal law.
Can reckless conduct cause a person to lose his or her gun rights?
The two petitioners in Voisine were both convicted of domestic violence under the Maine Criminal Code § 207. Maine Criminal Code § 207 defines assault as “
