Matthew Bergstrom, center, testified in Washington, DC today during a hearing of the DC Council concerning new legislation for permits to carry concealed firearms. Mr. Bergstrom called for a shall issue system, and he highlighted various shortcomings in the planned application process. He also addressed flaws in the design of the Concealed Pistol Licensing Review Board which will review appeals by rejected applicants. Following today's hearing, the Chief of Police will finalize the rules and procedures for carry permits, During the hearing, Chief Lanier said the applications will be made available to the public by the close of business on October 22.  

In her testimony, Chief Lanier also called upon the Council to remove the requirement for police officers to provide permit holders personal notice in locations or situations in which the carry a concealed carry of firearms would be prohibited. Instead she asked the Council to permit the Metropolitan Police Department to post signage during these occasions to provide the required notice to permit holders.

Council members spent much time asking whether a ban on the concealed carry of firearms could take place whenever a motorcade of a diplomat or senior government official passed. The Council also appeared to contemplate an amendment estabalishing a presumption that the concealed carry of firearms was prohibited from all private party unless posted otherwise. 

Arsenal Attorneys will continue monitoring these events closely, and our firm is ready to help clients carefully prepare their DC carry applications. 

Arsenal Attorneys will be offering two different law seminars in the coming months. These learning opportunities for gun owners will be offered in cooperation with gun dealers and firearms instructors in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Our self-defense seminar will address when you may and may not defend yourself and others inside or outside your home. We will examine a variety of issues by reviewing the law, court cases, and real-life scenarios. Students will learn legal concepts such as brandishing, stand your ground, castle doctrine, third-party liability, and more.  We will present an overview of how the criminal justice system handles such cases to enable students to understand their possible intereactions with law enforcement, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the courts. 

"Traveling while Armed" will present the rules determining how and where firearms may be carried or transported in a variety of everyday life situations, including: your commute, your place of work, government facilities, banks, schools, private property, public events, airports, state and national parks, nearby jurisdictions and more. 

We will offer "Self-Defense Law" on Tuesday December 2 at SSG Tactical in Fredericksburg, Virginia. You may enroll here: link.

On Saturday November 15 we will offer a special running of "Self-Defense Law" in Chantilly, Virginia. Following our morning session, FPF Training will present an optional "Street Encounter Skills Seminar". Participants may enroll in both or either the morning or the afternoon session. This day-long special event is sponsored by F3 Tactical. Learn more at this link.

"Traveling While Armed" will be offered with TKA LLC on Tuesday October 28 at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. Learn more at this link.

You may enroll in these courses on our website using this link. You may also call our office at 703.291.3312 or 800, 670.3575.

Arsenal Attorneys and FPF Training are joining forces to offer back-to-back seminars: "Law and Tactics for Self-Defense." Sponsored by F3 Tactical, the program will take place on Saturday November 15 at the Staybridge Suites in Chantilly, Virginia near Dulles Airport. Participants may take either seminar or both. Advancement enrollment is required by visiting Arsenal Attorneys for the Self-Defense Law Programd and FPF Training for the tactical program. 

During Arsenal Attorneys', participants will learn their right to self-defense and the limits of that right. Our instructor team will consist of a former prosecutor and a defense attorney of our firm. We will present self-defense law through cases, court decisions, and realistic scenarios. We will also present the criminal justice system and how it handles self-defense claims. Participants will gain an understanding of how their preparations, decisions, and actions can impact their legal defense in court or whether they are arrested in the first place. The program will be presented by a former prosecutor and a defense attorney.

John Murphy of FPF Training will present a 4 hour interactive course consisting of a multi-media lecture illustrating the indicators of criminal pre-assault behavior and the physiological impact of stress in self-defense situations. He will then offer practical skills for handling conflict and threats, including: awareness, avoidance, deterrence, de-escalation, verbalization, decisive physical movement, and transitioning to the lawful use of lethal force.  The course culminates with highly supervised “force on force” scenarios to reinforce these principals.

TKA LLC has invited Arsenal Attorneys for a return visit to the headquarters of the National Rifle Association in Fairfax, Virginia. We will be presented a law seminar entitled 'Traveling While Armed.' We will present the laws for carrying and transporting firearms in the mid-Atlantic region, including Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Register for this and other training opportunities at Arsenal Attorneys or call us at 703-291-3312.

On Thursday October 2, Alan Gura, defense attorney for the Second Amendment Foundation and the individual plaintiffs in the Palmer v.  District of Columbia case, filed a motion that requested a permanent injunction against DC’s handgun ban.  The motion was in response to the Council’s passing of temporary legislation that allowed gun owners to apply for concealed carry permits in DC under very narrow parameters. (See here for our blog on that legislation).

As of July 1, 2014, Georgia became the 32nd state to legalize the use of silencers for hunting game. This reform enables hunters to enjoy the use of silencers for their hearing safety and to avoid noise complaints during hunting season. Additionally, silencers improve accuracy by reducing recoil. Opponents of this legislation argued poaching would increase, but no such result has been proven in the many states allowing silencers for hunting game. The Georgia law can be found here.

Arsenal Attorneys helps clients in nearl 40 states comply with the regulations for silencers and other firearms regulated by the National Firearms Act, including short barrel rifles and shotguns, and vintage machine guns. Our Arsenal Gun Trust helps clients acquire NFA firearms, allow possession of them by others, and create an estate plan for their gun collection. By using the Arsenal Gun Trust, clients avoid the usual ATF requirements of fingerprinting, a mug shot, and a local police signature for NFA applications. Additionally, the Arsenal Gun Trust enables the client to use the faster ATF eFile system to obtain a tax stamp for each NFA firearms.