Storing Your Firearms While Entertaining for the Holidays
by James Phillips, Jr.
With Christmas and New Year’s fast approaching many of us are making plans to get together with friends and family. If you are hosting this holiday season it is important to make sure your firearms are properly stored. If any of your guests will be under the age of 16, then you must secure all loaded firearms either in a locked box or container or in a location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure or by placing a trigger lock on the loaded firearm as required by Florida Statute 790.174. This storage requirement only applies to loaded firearms that are not on your body or in a location so close to you that you could retrieve the firearm as easily and quickly as if it was on your person. Therefore, you can openly carry or conceal carry a loaded firearm in your home regardless if you have guest under the age of 16 or not. If you fail to comply with the requirements of Florida Statute 790.174 and a guest under the age of 16 takes your loaded firearm without your permission and displays it in a rude, careless, angry or threatening manner in public, then you could be charged with a second degree misdemeanor punishable up to 60 days in jail. Furthermore, you could face felony charges for culpable negligence if the guest under the age of 16 uses your firearm to cause injury or death to himself/herself or another person as a result of your improper storage of the firearm and face up to 5 years in prison. Besides facing criminal charges you may also find yourself being sued civilly for your negligent storage.
Of course, It is always a good idea to secure your firearms in a safe location even if none of your holiday guests are under the age of 16. This does not only shield you from possible criminal charges or civil liabilities, but also ensures that your loaded firearms do not end up in the possession of a guests who is either prohibited by law from having possession of firearms, such as a convicted felon, or who should not have accesses to firearms for various reasons such as mental state or intoxication.
Having Guests for the Holidays – What Do You Need To Do With Your Firearms?
What if you have no children living at home with you, but for the holidays or summer vacation, your family is coming to stay with you and they are bringing kids? What if one of your guests is a convicted felon or has lost their second amendment rights? What do you need to do, if anything with your firearms when you have guests? Watch this video to learn what you need to know.
With the holidays right around the corner, many of us are either planning trips to see family or getting ready to host family at our homes. Whether traveling to see family or having family in your own home, it’s important to be a responsible gun owner. If you are traveling outta the state, you must be aware of the gun laws in the state that you are visiting.
If you are having family in your home, and it’s important to know your responsibilities under Florida law regarding storing your firearm with other family members present, you are allowed to carry a firearm on your person while around someone under the age of 16. However, if a family member under the age of 16 is visiting, then when you are not carrying your firearm.
You must have it secured either in a lockbox or container or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a person under the age of 16, or secure it with a trigger lock. If you do not properly store your firearms and your family member under the age of 16 gets access to your firearm without your permission and displays it in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner in public, then you could be charged with a second degree misdemeanor, which is punishable up to 60 days in jail.
Furthermore. You could face felony charges for culpable negligence. If your family member under the age of 16 uses your firearm to cause injury or death to himself or another person as a result of your improper storage of your firearm and face up to five years in prison, besides facing criminal charges, you may also find yourself a defendant in a civil lawsuit for your negligent storage, even if you are not having anyone under the age of 16 visiting you over the holidays.
You still need to properly store your firearms and keep them out of the reach of family members who are either prohibited by law from possessing firearms such as a convicted felon, or who should not have access to your firearms for various reasons such as mental state, or even due to their drug usage or intoxication.
If your visiting family member is a convicted felon, has access to your firearm and possess it, they could be charged with a crime. However, if that visiting convicted family member uses your firearm to commit a crime. You could find yourself subject to a civil lawsuit and possibly a culpable negligent charge.
The same result could occur if you do not prevent access to your firearms by a family member who is not mentally stable or who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Always properly store your firearms and be cautious about who you let access or use your firearms. If you have any questions regarding storing your firearms during the upcoming holiday season or any other firearm related question, please give us law, show a call and ask to speak to your independent attorney.
David S. Katz
About Expert Firearm Attorney David Katz. David Katz is an Expert Firearm Attorney and has been practicing law for over 14 years. He began his career as a prosecutor in Seminole County, Florida. There, he gained invaluable experience analyzing how...
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With the holidays right around the corner, many of us are either planning trips to see family or getting ready to host family at our homes. Whether traveling to see family or having family in your own home, it’s important to be a responsible gun owner. If you are traveling outta the state, you must be aware of the gun laws in the state that you are visiting.
If you are having family in your home, and it’s important to know your responsibilities under Florida law regarding storing your firearm with other family members present, you are allowed to carry a firearm on your person while around someone under the age of 16. However, if a family member under the age of 16 is visiting, then when you are not carrying your firearm.
You must have it secured either in a lockbox or container or in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a person under the age of 16, or secure it with a trigger lock. If you do not properly store your firearms and your family member under the age of 16 gets access to your firearm without your permission and displays it in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner in public, then you could be charged with a second degree misdemeanor, which is punishable up to 60 days in jail.
Furthermore. You could face felony charges for culpable negligence. If your family member under the age of 16 uses your firearm to cause injury or death to himself or another person as a result of your improper storage of your firearm and face up to five years in prison, besides facing criminal charges, you may also find yourself a defendant in a civil lawsuit for your negligent storage, even if you are not having anyone under the age of 16 visiting you over the holidays.
You still need to properly store your firearms and keep them out of the reach of family members who are either prohibited by law from possessing firearms such as a convicted felon, or who should not have access to your firearms for various reasons such as mental state, or even due to their drug usage or intoxication.
If your visiting family member is a convicted felon, has access to your firearm and possess it, they could be charged with a crime. However, if that visiting convicted family member uses your firearm to commit a crime. You could find yourself subject to a civil lawsuit and possibly a culpable negligent charge.
The same result could occur if you do not prevent access to your firearms by a family member who is not mentally stable or who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Always properly store your firearms and be cautious about who you let access or use your firearms. If you have any questions regarding storing your firearms during the upcoming holiday season or any other firearm related question, please give us law, show a call and ask to speak to your independent attorney.
