Expert: Dean Speir - 4/11/2009

Question
I was convicted of a feloney 26 years ago. It was a non violent crime,Possesion of drugs and eluding a police officer. Under the new guidelines eluding is no longer a feloney.This all occured in washington state. Since so much time has gone by arent I allowed to apply for or posses a gun?I was told by one atty that said for 2500.00 he could get my right to own a gun restored.I was under the impression that If enuogh time went by with no further feloney convitions or domestic violence issues that I could hve my rights restored.And what is the national nix registry?A gun shop sold me a gun because they said that they checked me out on It and I was clean?

Answer
I don't "do" Private Consultations, James... this is a public forum whose "Experts" (or Reasonably Knowledgeable Individuals such as m'self) contribute their time pro bono.

If your situation is such that you require Private Consultation, pony up and retain an attorney. As you've discovered, they put a monetary value on their time.

#2, this is a Criminal Justice question, not a Second Amendment question.

And what you heard as "nix" is actually "NICS." (Suggest that you Google it.)

If a firearms retailer sold you a gun, then you filled out a Form 4473, and on Question 11c, answered untruthfully, and the FBI NICS process failed to pick up your 1983 Felony conviction.

You were lucky... people have been visited in the pre-dawn hours by men with automatic weapons and a warrant for your arrest as a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, for less.

After many months of legal wrangling, the expenditure of a great deal more money than $2500, and your name in the newspapers, you may have beaten the charge, but what is your name and freedom worth?

Find an attorney and work this one out!

G'luck.