Weapons Charge Lawyer Serving Raleigh & Wake County
A firearm or weapons charge can threaten your freedom and your future. Guirguis Law defends clients across Raleigh, Wake County, Durham, and Johnston County.
What a Weapons Charge Lawyer Handles for You
North Carolina and federal law regulate firearms and other weapons in ways that trip up even careful, law-abiding gun owners. A permit lapse, a misunderstanding about where a firearm may be carried, or a prior conviction that limits possession can all lead to serious charges.
As your weapons charge lawyer, Guirguis Law reviews the stop, search, and seizure that led to your arrest, examines whether the state can actually prove every element of the offense, and builds a defense around the facts of your case. This work covers everything from carrying a concealed weapon without a permit to felony possession of a firearm by a felon, discharge offenses, and weapons found on school property.
This service is for anyone in Wake, Durham, or Johnston County who has been charged with a firearm or weapons offense, whether it is a first misdemeanor or a felony carrying years of potential prison time. A criminal defense attorney who understands both the statute and the local courts can make the difference between a dismissal and a conviction that follows you for life.
Rights and Consequences You Should Understand
A weapons conviction rarely stays contained to a single case. It can affect your ability to own a firearm, your immigration status if you are not a citizen, and your standing with an employer that runs background checks. Before you talk to anyone about the charge, it helps to understand what is actually at stake.
- Class 2 misdemeanor convictions can become felonies on a second offense involving a firearm
- Felony possession by a convicted felon carries mandatory prison exposure under state law
- Federal firearm offenses often carry higher mandatory minimums than state charges
- A protective order in place against you can independently bar firearm possession
- Weapons found on educational property carry some of the harshest penalties in the statute
- A conviction can permanently affect your right to purchase or possess a firearm
Whether your case falls under state jurisdiction or has been picked up federally, a federal criminal defense lawyer or state criminal defense lawyer with firearm experience should review the charge before you enter any plea.
- Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
- NC Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Defense, 2012
- Serving Wake, Durham and Johnston counties since 2008
How We Build Your Firearm Offense Defense
Every weapons case starts with the same question: did law enforcement follow the rules when they stopped, searched, and charged you? From there, our felony defense attorneys map out a strategy specific to your charge and your record.
Free Case Review
We go through the police report, the search that led to the firearm being found, and any prior record that affects your exposure. This tells us whether the stop itself can be challenged.
Charge and Evidence Analysis
We identify exactly which statute you are charged under and what the state must prove. Many weapons charges hinge on technical elements like permit status, location, or prior convictions that the prosecution cannot always establish cleanly.
Defense Strategy and Negotiation
We pursue every available option, from motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence to negotiating a reduced charge that protects your record and your firearm rights where possible.
Trial or Resolution
If a fair resolution is not on the table, we take the case to trial. If it is, we make sure any plea reflects the weakest version of the charge available and protects your future.
Attorneys Who Handle Firearm and Weapons Cases
Our criminal defense team has spent years in Wake, Durham, and Johnston County courtrooms defending people against firearm and weapons charges of every class.
Nardine Mary Guirguis
Nardine leads the firm's criminal defense practice, representing clients facing everything from misdemeanor weapons charges to serious felony firearm offenses in state and federal court.
Robert E. Waters
Robert brings courtroom experience across Wake and surrounding counties, working closely with clients to challenge unlawful searches and build strong defenses in firearm possession cases.
Why Local Clients Trust Guirguis Law With Firearm Cases
Firearm cases in Wake County often move through the Wake County Courthouse on Fayetteville Street, just blocks from our office, and the outcome depends heavily on how the local district attorney's office typically handles a given charge. That local familiarity matters when you are negotiating a reduction or preparing for trial.
Clients in Durham and Johnston County choose our firm because we treat every firearm charge as a Second Amendment issue, not just a criminal one. Many of the people we represent are hunters, collectors, or first-time gun owners who never expected to need a criminal defense lawyer, and we take the time to explain what the charge actually means for their future.
Guirguis Law is a faith based, multilingual law firm serving clients in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and we bring the same steady, compassionate approach to a weapons charge that we bring to every case we take on across the Triangle.
Weapons Charge Lawyer FAQ
What should I do immediately after being charged with a firearm offense?
Do not discuss the details of your case with police, family, or on social media before speaking with a weapons charge lawyer. Anything you say can be used against you, and an early consultation lets us start reviewing the search and arrest right away.
Can a felony firearm conviction be reduced or expunged later?
Some firearm-related convictions may qualify for reduction or expungement depending on the class of offense and your record, but felony convictions involving firearms are more limited. Our felony defense lawyer team can review your eligibility once your case resolves.
Is a firearm charge always handled by the state, or could it go federal?
Some firearm cases, especially those involving prior felonies, interstate transport, or certain serial number offenses, can be picked up by federal prosecutors. A federal criminal defense lawyer should review the charge as soon as federal involvement is possible, since penalties and procedures differ significantly from state court.
If I am already incarcerated on a firearm charge, can anything still be done?
In certain federal cases, a compassionate release attorney can petition the court for early release based on extraordinary medical or family circumstances. This is separate from your original defense and depends on specific eligibility criteria under federal law.
Protect Your Rights After a Firearm or Weapons Charge
A weapons charge does not have to end in a conviction that costs you your record, your job, and your right to own a firearm. Call Guirguis Law today and put an experienced weapons charge lawyer on your side before your next court date.
