Minnesotans love the great outdoors; from camping to fishing or hunting, the state provides numerous seasonal opportunities. But for some people, a prior criminal conviction has prohibited their firearms rights and limited these opportunities. If you have such a conviction on your record and it is preventing you from possessing, using or owning a firearm, the good news is restoring firearms rights in Minnesota is possible. Let's take a look at how you can begin the process.

Restoring your firearms rights in Minnesota is outlined in Minnesota Statute 609.165. According to Statute Subdivision 1d, an individual seeking to have his or her firearms rights restored may “petition a court to restore the person's ability to possess, receive, ship, or transport firearms and otherwise deal with firearms.”

If you and your attorney file such a petition, the Court will review this request and may restore your firearms rights if it finds “good cause to do so.” As the petitioner, you must also have been released from physical confinement.

This process can take several weeks or even several months, depending on the individual circumstances of the case, the court's workload at the time of the case and whether or not there are any petitions – from the government for example – against the reinstatement of your firearms rights.

If the Court denies your petition to restore your firearms rights, you must wait three years to file a new petition. However, you may be allowed to file a new petition sooner if you obtain permission from the court.

If you are looking to restore your firearms rights, hiring experienced legal counsel provides you the best chance of a successful restoration of those rights. Contact Attorney Eric J. Olson for vigorous defense and unrivaled results.