Got Jury Duty, Told to Keep Gun in Car!?!

[JLStorm]

I got a summons for Jury duty and in the summons I was told to keep all dangerous weapons, including guns in the car. I carry a weapon at all times, and I thought I had read somewhere that courts were required to have lockers for people who carry a weapon either for personal reasons or work requirements to check before entering the court. I do not want to leave my weapon back at work, and I do not want to keep it in the car, its just not safe in the car.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

BTW, its the Norristown courthouse in Montgomery county.

[KeithPA]

I think that came up in the "places we can't carry" thread?

I thought I remember someone saying their courthouse did, but doubtful many do. Yours probably doesn't have one, ours doesn't. Call up the courthouse though and ask if they have a gun check.

§913. Possession of Firearm or Other Dangerous Weapon in Court Facility.

(5) The carrying of a dangerous weapon or firearm unloaded and in a secure wrapper by an attorney who seeks to employ the dangerous weapon or firearm as an exhibit or as a demonstration and who possesses written authorization from the court to bring the dangerous weapon or firearm into the court facility. (Added by L.1995, Act 66(2), eff. 11/22/95.)

(d) Posting of notice.—Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each courthouse or other building containing a court facility and each court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) with respect to a court facility if the notice was not so posted at each public entrance to the courthouse or other building containing a court facility anti at the court facility unless the person had actual notice of the provisions of subsection (a).

(e) Facilities for checking firearms or other dangerous weapons.—Each county shall make available at or within the building containing a court facility by July 1, 2002, lockers or similar facilities at no charge or cost for the temporary checking of firearms by persons carrying firearms under section 6106(b) or 6109 or for the checking of other dangerous weapons that are not otherwise prohibited by law. Any individual checking a firearm, dangerous weapon or an item deemed to be a dangerous weapon at a court facility must be issued a receipt. Notice of the location of the facility shall be posted as required under subsection (d). (Chgd. by L.1999, Act 59, eff 2/15/00.)

There ya go. I know ours doesn't. Some may, some may not. I'd call, ask, then kindly read them that, and ask them to check in the UFA since they are supposed to.

[avizpls]

The law DOES require them to though.

[danp]

Looks like Delta beat me to it while I was posting

This is the relevant law as far as I know, perhaps one of our local lawyers can chime in if there is anything I missed.

http://members.aol.com/StatutesP7/18PA913.html

Originally Posted by Title 18, Chapter 9, § 913. Possession of firearm or other dangerous weapon in court facility.

...

(e) Facilities for checking firearms or other dangerous weapons.--Each county shall make available at or within the building containing the court facility by July 1, 2002, lockers or similar facilities at no charge or cost for the temporary checking of firearms by persons carrying firearms under section 6106(b) or 6109 or for the checking of other dangerous weapons that are not otherwise prohibited by law. Any individual checking a firearm, dangerous weapon or an item deemed to be a dangerous weapon at a court facility must be issued a receipt. Notice of the location of the facility shall be posted as required under subsection (d).

...

Seems to me they are required to have lockers and if memory serves a few have been sued into place. Your milage may however vary.

The more research I do about the laws in this state the more I'm realizing that each county just seems to do whatever they want regardless of the law.

[LittleRedToyota]

Originally Posted by danp

The more research I do about the laws in this state the more I'm realizing that each county just seems to do whatever they want regardless of the law.

yep...rule of law in this state...in the whole country actually...is pretty much a thing of the past.

[djturnz]

Before i joined my current club they had a lwyer that is a memeber send a letter to the local courthouse stating the law and asking them to abide by it. The club ended up donating the lockers to the court house and got their name in the paper and a plaque on the lockers themselves.

Don't let them not follow the law.

[djturnz]

If they refuse to let you store it there, use that to get out of jury duty if you want. Or tell the jusge that you can't in good conscience serve jury duty in a court house that blatently disreguards state law.

[JLStorm]

Originally Posted by djturnz

If they refuse to let you store it there, use that to get out of jury duty if you want. Or tell the jusge that you can't in good conscience serve jury duty in a court house that blatently disreguards state law.

I cant see that turning out well for me, even if it is the right thing to do.

[restojunkie1967]

Does anyone have any updates on Montgomery County Courthouse's compliance with providing lockers? I have to take a friend to get his LTCF on Friday, and would prefer not to have to go naked...

[gnbrotz]

Take a copy of the law. Go armed. Request compliance.

If refused, be prepared to note the name and status of the party who refused you, and the reason they gave for not complying with the law.