Source: https://www.womenslaw.org/laws/ne/state-gun-laws/all
Timestamp: 2019-09-19 23:03:48
Document Index: 609624063

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 28', '§ 69', '§ 922', '§ 28', '§ 42', '§ 28', '§ 69', '§ 922', '§ 69']

Nebraska State Gun Laws | WomensLaw.org
Nebraska State Gun Laws
WomensLaw.org strongly recommends that you get in touch with a domestic violence advocate in your community for more information on gun laws in your area. To find an advocate at a local program, please visit the NE Advocates and Shelters page under the Places that Help tab at the top of this page.
Nebraska state law says that it is illegal for anyone to possess a firearm who:
is a fugitive from justice (any person fleeing to avoid prosecution),
has been convicted within the past seven years of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; or
is the subject of a current domestic violence protection order, harassment protection order, or sexual assault protection order and is knowingly violating such order.1
within the past 10 years, not have been found to be a “mentally ill and dangerous person” under the Nebraska Mental Health Commitment Act or a similar law in another state;
provide proof of firearm training.2
In addition, if you have a protection order against the abuser, or if the abuser has been convicted of a felony or of a domestic violence misdemeanor, then federal law states that it is illegal for your abuser him/her to buy or have a gun in his/her possession.3 Note: There are certain requirements that your protection order must meet for it to qualify under federal law. See I have a protection order against my abuser. Can s/he keep a gun or buy a new gun? to read more about what those requirements are. If you are not sure if the abuser has been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor, see What crimes are considered domestic violence misdemeanors? To read the definition of a felony, see What is the definition of a felony?
1 NE ST § 28-1206(1)(a),(b)
2 NE ST § 69-2433
3 18 USC § 922(g)(8),(9)
3United States v. Denis, 297 F.3d.25(1st Cir. 2002); United States v. Costigan, No. 009-B0H, 2000 U.S. Dist. (D. Me. June 16, 2000)
A felony under federal law is a crime that is punishable by a prison sentence of more than one year.1 Nebraska state law has various felony crimes, all with different sentences, some of which may be less than one year.2 To read the various classes of felonies in Nebraska, go to our NE Statutes page.
2 NE R.S. § 28-105
Possibly not. Nebraska state law allows the judge to order that the abuser cannot possess or purchase firearms as a term in your actual protection order.1
Note: This federal law may not apply to law enforcement officials, military personnel, and other government employees who use guns while performing official duties.3 If the abuser is a police officer, member of the military, or someone else who uses a gun for his/her job, talk to your local domestic violence program about your options. To find a shelter or an advocate at a local program, please visit the NE Advocates and Shelters page under the Places that Help tab at the top of this page.
Yes. Nebraska law allows the judge to order that the abuser cannot purchase or possess a firearm in an ex parte protection order.1 If this is something that you want in your order, you may want to specifically mention in your petition that the abuser has firearms in his/her possession.
1 NE R.S. §§ 42-924(g); 42-925(1)
No. Under federal law, if the abuser has been convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor, s/he cannot have or buy a gun. 1 If you’re not sure if the abuser has been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor, see What crimes are considered domestic violence misdemeanors?
In addition, Nebraska state law makes it illegal for a person to have or buy a gun if s/he has been convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence within the past seven years, or is a fugitive from justice (any person fleeing to avoid prosecution).2
Also, in order to get a concealed weapons permit in Nebraska, the applicant must:
not be on parole, probation, house arrest, or work release.3
2 NE R.S. § 28-1206(1)
3 NE R.S. § 69-2433(4),(5),(8),(9)
It depends. If the abuser’s gun is ordered to be taken away by your protection order, it may either be held by the sheriff department in your county, or in some cases, the authorities will allow the abuser to leave the gun with a friend or relative while your protection order is in effect. You can ask the court or law enforcement official handling your case where the abusers guns will go.
If your abuser’s gun is confiscated by the police because s/he was convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony, the police will likely destroy the weapon.
Remember, it’s a good idea to have a safety plan in place, even if the abuser’s weapons are taken away. See our Safety Tips page for safety planning ideas.
You can find contact information for sheriff departments in your area on our NE Sheriff Departments page.
You can find ATF field offices in Nebraska on the ATF website. For reporting illegal firearm activity, a person can also call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867). Many ATF offices have victim advocates on staff (called “victim/witness coordinators”) and so perhaps you may ask to speak one of these advocates if you are having a hard time connecting with (or receiving a call back from) an ATF officer.
A local domestic violence organization in your area may also be able to answer your questions and assist you in talking to the necessary law enforcement officials. You will find contact information for organizations in your area on our NE Advocates and Shelters page.
Anyone who has or buys a gun in violation of the federal firearm law can be punished by a fine, jail time for up to 10 years, or both. 1
Even if you do not have a protection order and the abuser was not convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor of a felony, there are other conditions under which the abuser cannot get a concealed weapons permit and so it may still be illegal for the abuser to possess a firearm. In order to get a concealed weapons permit in Nebraska, the applicant must meet all these other requirements:
not be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a handgun according to federal law 18 USC § 922, which includes many terms, aside from the prohibition against a respondent in a protection order case from possessing a firearm;
provide proof of firearm training.1
You can still make a plan for your safety. See our Safety Tips page for more information. You can also contact your local domestic violence organization for additional help. You may want to talk to them about whether leaving the area - either long term or for a little while - might help improve your safety. To find a shelter or an advocate at a local program, please visit the NE Advocates and Shelters page under the Places that Help tab at the top of this page.
For additional information on gun laws in Nebraska, you can go to the Giffords Law Center website.
1 NE R.S. § 69-2433
If you are confused or not sure whether the abuser can still use his/her gun for work purposes, you can talk to a domestic violence advocate in your area or call the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith & Credit to find out more information: 1-800-903-0111 x 2. To find a domestic violence advocate in your area, please go to our NE Advocates and Shelters page under the Places that Help tab on the top of this page.
You can contact a local domestic violence organization in your area - see NE Advocates and Shelters page.