Well, they mattered to me... since I was denied the purchase of a firearm a few months back. Oh, and this is my first post, lol, long time troller, first time poster.
I won't go heavily into the details, but I was denied by the NICS for a foreign conviction. The conviction in question WAS a misdemeanor (at least in Canada)... my punishment was a 220 dollar fine, including surcharge, no jail time. In Canada, they apparently have a funky way of classifying crimes as hybrid offenses, meaning they can be tried either as a felony (indictable), or summary (misdemeanor). Of course, mine was tried summarily with above mentioned outcome... well, apparently, this threw up the felon flag at CJIS, and I was denied my firearm purchase. Of course, I bought a firearm a few months and a few more a year or so back with just a delay.
Long story short... 5 months later and what seemed to be a lifetime of worrying (thank GOD I save everything, including court paperwork), my denial was overturned and I got my firearm. Of course, I got 3 crappy letters in the interim... all signed by someone at CJIS and officially telling me not to bother with it. Of course, my successful appeal had no "we're sorry" or anything to that effect, or even a signature on it... just the documentation to take to the dealer to get my burner. Funny how they can be official with all the negative correspondence, but lackadaiscal with the good stuff telling you that you were right.
Well, the bottom line is that I got my gun and I'm now in the VAF (voluntary appeal file), so hopefully this doensn't happen again. My record was also updated during the appeal (hmm... interesting). BUT... it's also interesting to note that even after the Supreme Court Ruling...
Seen here... (if link doesn't work 03–750 is the docket #)
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/....supremecourtus.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-750.pdf
That ruled that foreign convictions do not disqualify one from US firearm ownership (Apr 2005)... but they still denied me for it. Of course, they did send the reason for denial after I sent my fingerprints... and it was from Canada. Of course I'm a US citizen and a vet so I figured the SCOTUS ruling did apply to me.
Just a bit confused by the policies up thur in VA... seems like the SCOTUS pretty much laid down the law... figured it wouldn't flag at all. Never has before (since it was a misd)... just long delays. 5 months is a long time to wait since some newbie up at CJIS can't call the phone number to find out the maximum sentence... and should have known it doesn't matter anyways.
Regardless. Rant off. Glad to be a new member. One can vent after 5 months of bueraucratic nonsense, can't one?
Maybe this post will help someone else. ~90% of people denied never follow up on it. Of those that do, ~25% successfully appeal... I'm glad I followed up on it and didn't take "no" as an end-all-be-all response.... Just takes a long time, but occasionally, the wheels of justice spin for you, albeit slowly.
This entire experience HAS given me a true appreciation for just how important our 2a rights are. To think that my rights were effectively taken away due to misinterpretation on two levels (1.scotus ruling 2. lack of information on foreign laws), by some government drone, made me more aware on just how easy it is for these rights to be taken away... by all of these silly rules and contradictions that abound in the entire "gun control" philosphy.
FTF
I won't go heavily into the details, but I was denied by the NICS for a foreign conviction. The conviction in question WAS a misdemeanor (at least in Canada)... my punishment was a 220 dollar fine, including surcharge, no jail time. In Canada, they apparently have a funky way of classifying crimes as hybrid offenses, meaning they can be tried either as a felony (indictable), or summary (misdemeanor). Of course, mine was tried summarily with above mentioned outcome... well, apparently, this threw up the felon flag at CJIS, and I was denied my firearm purchase. Of course, I bought a firearm a few months and a few more a year or so back with just a delay.
Long story short... 5 months later and what seemed to be a lifetime of worrying (thank GOD I save everything, including court paperwork), my denial was overturned and I got my firearm. Of course, I got 3 crappy letters in the interim... all signed by someone at CJIS and officially telling me not to bother with it. Of course, my successful appeal had no "we're sorry" or anything to that effect, or even a signature on it... just the documentation to take to the dealer to get my burner. Funny how they can be official with all the negative correspondence, but lackadaiscal with the good stuff telling you that you were right.
Well, the bottom line is that I got my gun and I'm now in the VAF (voluntary appeal file), so hopefully this doensn't happen again. My record was also updated during the appeal (hmm... interesting). BUT... it's also interesting to note that even after the Supreme Court Ruling...
Seen here... (if link doesn't work 03–750 is the docket #)
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/....supremecourtus.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-750.pdf
That ruled that foreign convictions do not disqualify one from US firearm ownership (Apr 2005)... but they still denied me for it. Of course, they did send the reason for denial after I sent my fingerprints... and it was from Canada. Of course I'm a US citizen and a vet so I figured the SCOTUS ruling did apply to me.
Just a bit confused by the policies up thur in VA... seems like the SCOTUS pretty much laid down the law... figured it wouldn't flag at all. Never has before (since it was a misd)... just long delays. 5 months is a long time to wait since some newbie up at CJIS can't call the phone number to find out the maximum sentence... and should have known it doesn't matter anyways.
Regardless. Rant off. Glad to be a new member. One can vent after 5 months of bueraucratic nonsense, can't one?
Maybe this post will help someone else. ~90% of people denied never follow up on it. Of those that do, ~25% successfully appeal... I'm glad I followed up on it and didn't take "no" as an end-all-be-all response.... Just takes a long time, but occasionally, the wheels of justice spin for you, albeit slowly.
This entire experience HAS given me a true appreciation for just how important our 2a rights are. To think that my rights were effectively taken away due to misinterpretation on two levels (1.scotus ruling 2. lack of information on foreign laws), by some government drone, made me more aware on just how easy it is for these rights to be taken away... by all of these silly rules and contradictions that abound in the entire "gun control" philosphy.
FTF