Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Virginia
My question is concerning owning a handgun legally in the common wealth of Virginia.
I am a former government employee and I would like to legally own a handgun. My question is, even though I have gone through a background check by the government and still hold a valid security clearance, I moved back how because of financial reasons and because my landlord would not allow me to adopt a dog in the condo I was leasing from him. The issue is two of my family members have felonys on their record.
Is it legal for me to own a firearm under the same roof as my family members that have past felonys on their record even if I would be the only person with access to the firearm and it would be store in a biometric safe that would require my fingerprint to open the safe, a digital code an/or a safe key that would be in my possession at all times?
I eventually would like to go into law enforcement at some time but I also have a back injury preventing me from being a police officer. As a person with a disability there are other areas of law enforcement I would be able to be apart of even with my lower back injury.
This handgun would be used for practice at a firing range as well as attending classes on the proper use of a handgun and handgun safety.
I just want to make sure before I do anything, that it is legal to own a firearm under the same roof (even though I live in a part of the house with my own entrance/exit as well as a door that locks the basement where I live from the upstairs and I have the only key to that door)
1 Answer from Attorneys
This question comes up from time to time in this forum and my answer today is
still the same, i.e.,, yes, the homeowner who has no criminal
convictions that would bar him from owning or possessing firearms may also
keep such firearms in his home even if family members/relatives reside there
who are legally barred from such ownership or possession but who must not
attempt to possess(handle)or own these firearms if they wish to continue to
avoid prosecution for violation of the applicable firearms laws at issue.