Gun Crime Defenses – Part 1

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Gun Crime Defenses in South Carolina – Part 1

Unlawful carrying a handgun in South Carolina legal defenses.  The statute controls the way you carry a handgun and provides for 16 exceptions, so it’s important to know if you qualify for one of these defenses.

Hi, my name is Dale Savage and I’m a criminal defense attorney here in Charleston, South Carolina and today I’m going to discuss defenses to the charge of Unlawful Carrying a Pistol.

Exceptions 1 through 8

There are a total of 16 exceptions carved out by the legislature that are defenses to the crime if you fall under one of the limited criteria.  Let’s go over some of them now.

  1. Law enforcement officer, reserve police officer carrying out official duties while in the that state of SC;
  2. Members of the armed forces of the U.S., national guard or reserves on duty;
  3. Members or invited guests of organizations authorized to purchase or receive firearms – or members or invited guests of clubs for purposes of target shooting or collecting firearms, at or going to or from their places of target practice or their shows or exhibits.
  4. Licenses hunters or fisherman who are engaged in hunting/fishing or going to their places of hunting or fishing while in a vehicle or on foot;
  5. A person regularly engaged in the business of manufacturing, repairing, dealing in firearms while carrying a handgun in the usual or ordinary course of business;
  6. Guards authorized by law to possess handguns and engaged in the protection of the property of the U.S;
  7. Members of authorized military or civil organizations while parading or going to or from these organizations;
  8. If you are in your home or on your real property or you have the permission of the homeowner or agent of that property.

What’s important to remember with all these exceptions is their limitations.  You have to be engaged in the activity or on official duty in this state for the exception to apply.

Charleston, SC Gun Crimes Attorney

If you’d like help in your gun arrest call me at (843) 530-7813.  I hope this video was helpful and thanks for watching.

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