A carrying a concealed weapon license allows you to carry your gun in a concealed manner but does not allow you to carry your gun in a school, post office, bar, and or government buildings.  If you are found to have a gun or other weapon, in those scenarios you can be charged with carrying a concealed weapon which is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 9 months in jail and a $10,000 fine - or both.

If you are facing gun or weapons charges in Racine, call Grieve Law's criminal defense attorneys for a free case consultation.

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Facing a weapons charge can have a significant impact on your life as the consequences, if you are convicted, can be jail or prison time and significant fines.  Our Racine gun team have the experience necessary to fight against your gun charges to give you the best possible chance to limit the impact on your life and your future. Independent of if you are facing a misdemeanor charge like carrying a concealed weapon or felony charges such as unintentional discharge of a firearm you need to have the right lawyer to fight against your case.

Gun Lawyers for Racine County

Our Racine gun team handles all manner of weapons-related charges.  Those charges range from something as severe as homicide to something significantly more minor like carrying a concealed weapon and everything in between (felon in possession of a firearm, reckless or unlawful use of weapons, intoxicated possession of a firearm, and domestic violence to name a few).  The skill and experience of our gun team allow them to attack your case to get the best possible outcome.

Wisconsin Concealed Carry Laws

In Wisconsin, illegally carrying a concealed weapon is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to nine months in jail, $10,000 in fines or both. If convicted, the concealed weapon will be permanently forfeited to law enforcement.

To secure a conviction, the state must prove three elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. You went armed with a firearm
2. You knew the firearm was present
3. The firearm was not in plain view

Whether a weapon is considered concealed can be more complex than it sounds. Guns in glove boxes, under seats or in bags are typically considered concealed, as is a holstered gun partially covered by clothing. Even a firearm in your hand could be deemed concealed if it was not visible to someone nearby.

Grieve Law’s defense lawyers will analyze every detail of your case, from how the firearm was stored to how law enforcement discovered it, to determine the best approach for reducing or dismissing the charge.

Intentions are Irrelevant

When it comes to the gun laws in Wisconsin, often your intention is not relevant to the charges you can be facing. A carrying a concealed weapon license allows you to carry your gun in a concealed manner but does not allow you to carry your gun in a school, post office, bar or government buildings. If you are found to have a gun or another weapon, in those scenarios you can be charged with carrying a concealed weapon which is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 9 months in jail and a $10,000 fine, or both. The three elements the prosecutor would have to prove are:

1. You carried a gun
2. You knew you had the gun
3. The gun was concealed

Armed Robbery Charges in Racine

In Wisconsin, armed robbery is a Class C felony punishable by up to 40 years in prison, $100,000 in fines or both. A felony armed robbery conviction permanently removes firearm rights and voting rights until civil rights are restored. A conviction also affects employment, housing, and firearm rights for life.

Armed robbery is classified by the use of a “dangerous weapon”. A “dangerous weapon” includes firearms, knives, bats, clubs or any object capable of causing death or great bodily harm. Prosecutors must prove you took property using force or threat of force while armed with such a weapon.

Defense strategies often center on whether the weapon was used, threatened or visible. For instance, if a firearm was present but never displayed, or the victim only assumed a weapon existed, the charge may be challenged. Fighting this charge involves challenging the state’s proof at every step, from witness statements to evidence collection. Grieve Law’s experienced attorneys will work to weaken the case, opening the door to reduced charges or dismissal.

Intoxicated Possession

Another situation is intoxicated possession of a firearm, where there are two elements:

1. You went somewhere armed with a gun
2. You were under the influence of an intoxicant when you went armed

A scenario where you leave your gun in the car, have a few drinks at a bar, and are later pulled over can lead to an intoxicated possession of a firearm charge.  There you specifically removed your gun; it was not on your person while you were drinking, and you never recovered the gun after you got back in your car.  Even in that scenario where you took safety precautions by removing your gun, you still can be charged with a class A misdemeanor for intoxicated possession of a firearm punishable by up to 9 months in jail and a $10,000 fine or both.

Self-Defense

Self-defense and or being justified in your actions does not mean that you will not be charged with a criminal offense if a gun is involved.  Intentionally pointing a gun at someone or threatening someone with a gun (or another dangerous weapon) are both class A misdemeanors and while your actions could be justified that does not stop a prosecutor from issuing charges with potential jail and other penalties. Our team of Racine gun lawyers at Grieve Law will fight your charges and put you in the best position possible to have your case dismissed or charges reduced to limit any impact it will have on your life. 

Call the Racine gun lawyers now to learn how you can get your charges reduced or dropped entirely.