I have a felony conviction. How can I get my firearm rights restored?

If you have lost your firearm rights due to a Colorado felony on your record, there are two ways to regain them: through expungement or through a pardon. 

If your conviction was an adjudication resulting from juvenile court proceedings for a felony offense that occurred before you were 18 years old, it may be eligible for expungement.  If your conviction was for an adult felony offense, it cannot be expunged (it may be eligible for sealing, but sealing will NOT restore your firearm rights). 

For an adult felony conviction, the only way to restore your firearm rights is by obtaining a pardon from the governor of Colorado.  You can find the pardon application here.  This will give you an idea of what the pardon application process entails.  While it is difficult to predict the likelihood of success for any individual pardon application, a review of Colorado pardons granted over the last few years yields certain insights. 

Out of hundreds of pardon applications submitted each year, only about 10 percent are granted.  These successful applications share certain similarities.  The majority involve drug possession offenses.  The other, non-drug related, offenses are overwhelmingly for other non-violent offenses such as theft, burglary, and fraud.  Almost no pardons have been granted for offenses involving violence or threats of violence.

Moreover, successful pardon applicants are typically able to demonstrate, in the years following their conviction,  a history of sobriety (if applicable) and orientation toward public service, through either volunteer work or as a career.

While it is not necessary to hire a lawyer to handle your pardon application, we are available to work with you if you decide you would like assistance with the process.