We are your Los Angeles CCW denial appeal attorneys. If your CCW license is denied in LA County, we have the experience and expertise to set you up for success in your court hearing. Attorney Don Hammond, founder of Criminal Defense Heroes, P.C., has represented clients at more CCW denial hearings than anyone. We’ve won approximately two-thirds of them, across seven counties, with the bulk of our hearing being in Los Angeles.
What is a CCW License?
A CCW license allows the holder to carry a concealed firearm in public. Applying for a CCW license in Los Angeles can be a long, expensive, and daunting process. But there is no longer a “Good Cause” or “Good Moral Character” requirement, and California is now a “Shall Issue” state. So, most people should be approved, as long as they are legally eligible to have a gun.
To get a Los Angeles CCW license, you apply with the police agency that has jurisdiction where you live. So, for example, if you live in Torrance, you apply with the Torrance Police Department. If you live in a city that is patrol by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, you apply with that agency. It is very important to answer all questions honestly on the application. If you are not sure about your history, go get your own LiveScan and review it before you fill out the application.
The Los Angeles CCW application process includes a background check, an interview with you and three references, and a 16-hour training class.
There are still a lot of restrictions on where someone can carry with a California CCW license. We have a more complete article about that here.
Los Angeles CCW Denial Appeal Hearing Process
When a California CCW application is denied, the applicant can request a court hearing within 30 days of the denial. The court hearing process is governed by Penal Code section 26206. The hearing is not really an appeal. It’s a whole new hearing, where a prosecutor has the burden of proving that you are a disqualified person. The disqualified person criteria are listed in Penal Code section 26202.
To try to meet their burden of proving that you are a disqualified person, the district attorney will use information from the police agency’s file. They may use your criminal history, anything you failed to disclose on the application, or a psychological evaluation to try to show that you should be disqualified from having a CCW license.
Prior to a Los Angeles CCW denial appeal hearing, we interview the client and gather documents. Then, we issue a subpoena to the police agency that denied the application. Finally, we draft and file a legal brief, explaining how the law applies to your situation.
After all of that, we appear at the hearing and tell the judge why they should order the police or sheriff department to issue your California CCW license.
How A Los Angeles CCW Denial Appeal Attorney Can Help
A new California law in 2024, called SB 2, created the CCW denial hearing process. So, this hearing process is still relatively new. We have represented clients in California CCW denial appeal hearings against fourteen different police agencies throughout California, including at least eight agencies in Los Angeles CCW denial appeal hearings.
In Los Angeles County CCW denial appeal hearings, we have represented clients against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Alhambra Police Department, Covina Police Department, Glendora Police Department, Azusa Police Department, Whittier Police Department, Beverly Hills Police Department, Burbank Police Department, and the list keeps growing.
If your Los Angeles CCW application is denied, give us a call today to discuss the situation and see how we can help. Give us a call today at 323-529-3660!
