Expert: Robert P. Firriolo - 3/17/2010

Question
QUESTION: i was convicted of misdemeanor simple assault am i still eligible to own a gun?

ANSWER: As long as the misdemeanor simple assault charge was punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or less, then you would not be prohibited under federal law from possessing a handgun. However, in addition to federal law, there may also be state or local laws that apply. Since your question does not indicate where you live, a more detailed answer is impossible.



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QUESTION: i live in whitehouse tennesse and the simple assault charge was back in 04 i beleive and my sentence was 30 days

Answer
The sentence you received is not what is important; what you could have been sentenced to (that is, the maximum sentence for that crime) is determinative.

You would have to look into the maximum penalty for simple assault in TN to make sure it is less than 2 years. It is very unlikely to be more than one year, as most state misdemeanors (including simple assault) are typically punishable by less than one year in jail.

As for state laws, review this guide from the NRA, which includes a section on restrictions imposed by TN law: http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/TNSL.pdf . That should answer your question and any others you have about possession and carrying in TN.