Will a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense prevent me

[jgofnj 5]

I pleaded guilty to a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense 15 years ago. Will this prevent me from getting a FID and license to purchase a handgun? The application specifically asked if you were convicted of a disorderly persons offense, I answered "no" because mine was a "Petty" disorderly persons offense, which is different.

[Z71 4]

I think you should answer yes; then use the space provided and explain

it....if you submitted the app recently,consider calling the pd and say you forgot to add info....mite save ur butt. ..lets see what others think

[jgofnj 5]

I already submitted it. I am also very detail oriented and specifically answered No because technically I didn't have the offence. According to other sources, there is a clear and distinctive difference between the two. But I guess I could have done what you suggested to be on the safe side.

[Jon 264]

Bad move... Petty Disorderly Persons should show up on a background check, and lying on your paperwork is 10x worse than just a silly Disorderly. Also for reference, I got myself a Disorderly Persons offense back when I was 18 and it did not hinder my FID or PPP in either of the two towns that I've lived in.

[jgofnj 5]

And you indicated that on the application?

[Jon 264]

And you indicated that on the application?

 

Yes. Both the initial app and the app for my "duplicate" FID when I moved to a different town.

[PK90 3,573]

IIRC, there is a difference between a DP and a PDP. For example in a DV incident; assault is a DP, where harassment is a PDP. One will prevent you from getting a FPID, the other will not.

[jgofnj 5]

Mine was exactly that, a harassment. It was actually lame; I wrote a profanity on a check to pay for a parking ticket I never should have gotten. I know stupid, should have never done it, it was very embarrassing to say the least.

[PK90 3,573]

... profanity on a check to pay for a parking ticket ...

[Sigman 41]

I pleaded guilty to a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense 15 years ago. Will this prevent me from getting a FID and license to purchase a handgun? The application specifically asked if you were convicted of a disorderly persons offense, I answered "no" because mine was a "Petty" disorderly persons offense, which is different.

 

If there is no arrest record and nothing is sent to NJSP, you should be OK. It sounds like it is something like going to court for a traffic ticket. The problem is when something turns up in a background check and you answer "no" on the form. If you have an arrest and found not guilty, it still shows up in a background check. The key is "if there was an arrest" with a court disposition that gets sent to NJSP.

 

You can request a copy of your record from the state police and see if it comes back clean, but that takes a couple of weeks to get once the form is sent in to them. BTW - this is all done electronically now.

 

Good Luck!

[Jon 264]

I pleaded guilty to a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense 15 years ago. Will this prevent me from getting a FID and license to purchase a handgun? The application specifically asked if you were convicted of a disorderly persons offense, I answered "no" because mine was a "Petty" disorderly persons offense, which is different.

 

If there is no arrest record and nothing is sent to NJSP, you should be OK. It sounds like it is something like going to court for a traffic ticket. The problem is when something turns up in a background check and you answer "no" on the form. If you have an arrest and found not guilty, it still shows up in a background check. The key is "if there was an arrest" with a court disposition that gets sent to NJSP.

 

You can request a copy of your record from the state police and see if it comes back clean, but that takes a couple of weeks to get once the form is sent in to them. BTW - this is all done electronically now.

 

Good Luck!

 

My Disorderly was on a summons and was simply a fine paid to the municipal court, and my complaint shows up in NJ's AOC complaint system, which any municipality will check prior to issuing an FID.

[savageshooter 10]

I pleaded guilty to a Petty Disorderly Persons Offense 15 years ago. Will this prevent me from getting a FID and license to purchase a handgun? The application specifically asked if you were convicted of a disorderly persons offense, I answered "no" because mine was a "Petty" disorderly persons offense, which is different.

 

Were you actually booked into the system and fingerprinted when charged? You know, handcuffs?

 

Looking at the application from the State Police website, it asks if you were ever convicted of a "disorderly persons offense in NJ or any other jurisdiction where you could have been sentenced to more than 6 months in jail, that has not been expunged or sealed." If yes, list dates, places and offenses."

 

One thing you might want to do is find out of what you were convicted of could've put you in jail for more than 6 months.

[jgofnj 5]

No, just got a letter in the mail about the complaint, didn't even know what it was. Showed up for court, told them I was sorry, paid the fine (basically pleaded guilty). Didn't even know I had a record. Found out it was a Petty Disorderly Offense punishable up to a max of 30 days in jail, but I just paid a fine (don't remember how much it was). So technically it doesn't fall into the category of a Disorderly Offense punishable up to 6 months in jail which was the question on the application. So I should be okay or at least contest it if there is an issue.

[Drew 4]

No, just got a letter in the mail about the complaint, didn't even know what it was. Showed up for court, told them I was sorry, paid the fine (basically pleaded guilty). Didn't even know I had a record. Found out it was a Petty Disorderly Offense punishable up to a max of 30 days in jail, but I just paid a fine (don't remember how much it was). So technically it doesn't fall into the category of a Disorderly Offense punishable up to 6 months in jail which was the question on the application. So I should be okay or at least contest it if there is an issue.

 

Im not an expert, but i think you will be ok. If anything you will get a phone call from your PD asking you to explain. At that point simply tell them what you told us and you should be fine. I am of the mindset that you only answer the questions ask of you, nothing more, nothing less. On my FID I answered no to all those questions and I got a call about 2 months later asking about a restraining order court case that popped up in my background check. I told them that it was thrown out for hear-say and thats why it was not on there. They informed that they didn't have the verdict for the case in the background check (something about Somerset court not reporting the verdict blah blah blah) so it would take a couple of extra weeks to get a certified copy of the court records. A couple weeks later I got my FID + 1 pistol permit.

[jgofnj 5]

Got a call from the PD. After they verified it was Petty Offense, he told me it would not prevent me from getting my permit and FID. The officer was really cool about it. Should have everything complete by next week.

[Z71 4]

congrats.....

[Jon 264]

congrats.....

 

Agreed, good to hear.