What are my other options if I am/not convicted (e.g. appeal, record sealing, etc…)?

Needless to say, you have a lot more options if you are not convicted of CPWL, UF, or UA.  If you are not convicted of UF or UA, you can get your arrest record sealed after 2 years so long as you do not get arrested or convicted of another crime during that time.  If you are not convicted of CPWL, you can get your arrest record sealed after 4 years so long as you do not get arrested or convicted of another crime during that time.

Beyond record sealing, you could potentially sue the District of Columbia for damages in a civil case.  As mentioned numerous times in this post, the constitutionality of DC’s gun licensing and registration scheme is under immense scrutiny at the moment.  Many individuals feel as if they were wrongfully prosecuted under unconstitutional laws and they are seeking redress from the government for all of their unnecessary suffering.  For example, because of the pending charges against them, many people might lose hours and wages at work, some people even lose their jobs, people who are also students might get in trouble with their universities, and the list goes on and on.  If you feel that you deserve damages for the suffering you experienced, maybe a civil lawsuit is the option for you.

Now, if you are convicted of CPWL, UF, or UA, don’t worry, you still have options! Any person convicted of a crime has the right to appeal.  Whether or not you should appeal depends on what you are looking to get out the situation.  Because of the tedious and time-consuming judicial process, it is likely that you will have already completed your sentence before your appeal is decided.  While you probably won’t avoid your sentence, you can achieve a moral victory by winning an appeal because your conviction would be overturned and erased from your record.  A moral victory is a victory nonetheless, and you have a lot to gain from winning an appeal.

While an appeal may not be fruitful, you may be able to get your arrest and conviction record sealed.  Unfortunately, a CPWL conviction is labeled as an “ineligible felony” which means that you cannot get it sealed.  However, there is hope if you have a UF or UA conviction!  For a UF or UA conviction, you can get your arrest record and conviction sealed 8 years after you’ve completed your sentence, so long as you are not arrested or convicted of another crime during that time.

When faced with a possible DC CPWL, UF, and/or UA conviction, you may have more questions than the ones mentioned above and you may need more detailed answers.  It is imperative that you hire an experienced gun lawyer who will answer any and all of the questions you might have.  At Scrofano Law PC, we have helped numerous clients with all of their gun offenses questions.  While we can’t guarantee the outcome of your case, we can offer you predictability and reassurance every step of the way.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for a D.C. Gun Offense, call Scrofano Law PC immediately for a full consultation.