Recent news media reports and statements by President Obama have drawn attention to
Indiana’s laws. One law, however, was quietly amended and went into effect on July 1,
2015 that once again allowed an Indiana resident to restore their Second Amendment Right.
In 2013, Indiana expungement laws restored the Second Amendment rights to an Indiana
resident who had their prior felony convictions expunged under Indiana law. Unfortunately, the
United States Department of Justice took the position that, as written, Indiana’s expungement
laws may restore an Indiana resident’s Second Amendment right at the state level, but not at
the federal level. The Department of Justice’s justification of Indiana’s 2013 expungment
statute was that Indiana’s expungements were not true expungements.
Thanks to the hard work of Indiana Senator Brent Steele, Indiana’s expungement statute was
amended in July 2015 to restore the civil rights of someone previously convicted of a felony and
to restore them as a “proper person.” According to a recent opinion letter dated October 28,
2015 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
the amendments to Indiana’s expungement statutes are now sufficient to restore firearms
rights at the federal level.
If you are currently precluded from owning or possessing a firearm but would like to explore
whether your right to bear arms can be restored, please give Cate Terry & Gookins, LLC a call at