PA FIREARMS LAW

[PeteG]

PFDC's course on Pennsylvania Firearms Law will be offered twice this Spring, March 20 and May 7 (one on a Saturday and one on a Sunday). Both courses will be held at the Days Inn of Pittsburgh, on Banksville Road, just South of the Fort Pitt Tunnels.

The cost is $90 for this all-day seminar. ($100 at the door.)

We have already had two questions about which presenter will be at which session. BOTH presenters will be at BOTH sessions.

Course descriptoin follows:
-------------------------

ONE DAY COURSE ON
PENNSYLVANIA FIREARMS LAW
Sunday March 20, 2011 and Saturday May 7, 2011
Day's Inn of Pittsburgh, 1150 Banksville Road, Pgh. PA. 15216 (412) 531-8900

How many times have you had a question about the law governing the use of firearms? How many times have you inadvertently done something illegal with a firearm? Are you curious how these laws fit together? Who do you ask? When you do ask, how do you know you are getting information you can rely upon?

The Pennsylvania Firearms Development Corporation (PFDC) has put together a one day course to answer these questions. The course is presented by a practicing attorney and experienced instructor in law, joined by an experiened an a gun-rights activist, both of whom are long-time firearms instructors. It is designed for people who handle and use firearms professionally or for personal protection, hunting or collecting. It will cover not only what current statutes say, but what they mean in practical application. The course covers the following topics:

SOURCES OF APPLICABLE FIREARMS LAW, AND HOW THEY MESH
• Federal Constitution and statutes
• Pennsylvania Constitution and statutes
• Federal and State Preemption and what they really mean
• Reliable sources of advice and information – who you should trust

WHO MAY POSSESS AND WHO MAY OWN FIREARMS
• Legal Disabilities Under Federal Law
 Conviction of crimes
 Other legal disabilities (insanity, alien, dishonorable discharge, etc.)
• Legal Disabilities Under Pennsylvania Law
 Minority
 Conviction of crimes
 Other disabilities (insanity, alien, dishonorable discharge, etc.)
• Rehabilitation and reinstatement after loss of rights

LAW GOVERNING CARRY AND TRANSPORTATION OF FIREARMS IN VEHICLES
• Open and Concealed Carry
• Transport in motor vehicles
• Special rules for carrying on public lands and in parks
• Rules for snowmobiles and ATV’s on private land.

THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE IN PENNSYLVANIA
• Self-defense and “Justification” Defenses
• Statutory codification of less-than-deadly force principles
o When force or threat of force can be used
o Value of training with non-deadly force alternatives
• Statutory codification of deadly force principles
o What constitutes deadly force
o When deadly force can be used
• Consequences of being wrong (civil and criminal exposure)
• How it all plays out (scenarios and review of actual Pennsylvania case law).

CIVIL LIABILITY FOR THE USE OF ONE’S FIREARM BY ANOTHER
• Loaning Firearms
• Civil and criminal liability for unauthorized access to your firearms by children, the mentally infirm, drunks, pranksters, criminals or those of intemperate disposition.

REGULATION OF FIREARMS-RELATED ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES
• Zoning ● Noise abatement regulations ● Taxation ● “Paramilitary training” ● Releases of liability

FIREARMS USED IN HUNTING AND TRAPPING (A WORLD OF ITS OWN)
• Hunting and Trapping Permits
• Interplay between defensive carry and hunting and trapping laws

Cost: $90 advance enrollment.
$100 at the door (space permitting).

Course format: The course will consist of six hours of straightforward explanations of how the law works, what the current rules are and how to stay out of trouble. There will be three hours of discussion in the morning and three hours in the afternoon, with a one-hour break for lunch, and 15 minute breaks in the morning and in the afternoon. The course will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Principles will be illustrated using actual cases and statutes (as opposed to theories and ideology). There will be substantial time for questions and answers. Electronic research facilities will be available, allowing us to look up an answer right on the spot if necessary.

Class size: The number of participants will be limited to 20 per session. This will assure ample time for individual questions and interaction between the faculty and participants. This is designed to be an interactive process.

Faculty:

PETER GEORGIADES is the Chairman of Greystone Legal Associates, P.C., a law firm in Pittsburgh. He has 33 years of active litigation experience, and has been an instructor in law at the National Law Center, George Washington University and the Graduate School of Industrial Administration at Carnegie-Mellon University. His practice includes advising clients with respect to various aspects of law relating to firearms. He is also an experienced firearms instructor, certified to instruct by the NRA (rifle, pistol, shotgun and personal protection) and the State of Arizona (Certificate No. 8769268), and is a member of the International Ass'n. of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI). Peter is the current Executive Director of the Firearms Instruction, Research & Education (F.I.R.E.) Institute, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization dedicated to the advancement of firearms training and education.

HARRY SCHNEIDER is the Legislative Chairman of the Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Association (PSA). He is experienced at writing bills and analyzing legislation, and has worked tirelessly to advance the interests of firearms owners in the Pennsylvania legislature. He is the co-author of several improvements to firearms laws in Pennsylvania, including 2009 changes in the law governing hunters and trappers and significant improvements to reciprocity between Pennsylvania and other states with respect to licenses and permits to carry. He has attended numerous ATF-PSP Firearms Law Seminars and seminars sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Federal Bar Association and the NRA. His formal firearms training and experience stretches back 30 years.

This course qualifies for six hours of continuing education credit for NRA law enforcement instructor accreditation. Paperwork to receive certification will be will be available at the course site. Note: The May course will also qualify for six hours of continuing legal education credits for Pennsylvania attorneys.

TO ENROLL: Either download an enrollment form at www.fireinstitute.org, or send a letter giving your name and contact information, “PFDC, 2130 Fox Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.” Include a check or money order for $90, payable to “Pennsylvania Firearms Development Corporation,” to You will receive an enrollment confirmation by return mail. Enrollment is first-come-first served.

Enrollment at the door is $10 more and may be limited, so advance registration is recommended.

[PeteG]

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved the May 7, 2011 session of this course, and only the May 7 session, for 5.5 hours of substantive continuing legal education credit for attorneys.

Both sessions of this course (March 20 and May 7) qualify for 6.0 hours of continuing education credit toward the NRA Law Enforcement Instructor certification.

Paperwork to receive either form of credit will be will be available at the course site on the day of the course.

PeteG

[PeteG]

We will cover the new AMTRAK rules allowing for firearms in checked baggage, and the Aitken case out of New Jersey.

[PeteG]

As of this writing (March 7, 2011) we have five slots remaining for the March 20 session. The May 7 session is still wide open.

BOTH sessions allow credt for NRA L.E. Firearms Instructor CLE.

Only the May 7 session allows CLE credits for attorneys under the Supreme Ct. of Pa. CLE rules.

Substantively both sessions are the same. It is just that we only had time to get the May 7 session approved by the CLE Board of the Pa. Sup. Ct.

[PeteG]

It has been called to my attention that we sent out some letters that referred to the March 20 date for the first session of "Pa. Firearms Law" as a Saturday. March 20 is a Sunday. The date is correct; but that session is on a Sunday.

May 7, the second session, is on a Saturday.

As of today, the SUNDAY March 20 session has two open slots. The May 7 session is still wide open.

Peter

[twoguns]

Will this course or another "accredited" course be offered in Eastern PA?

[PeteG]

Will this course or another "accredited" course be offered in Eastern PA?

We do occasionally get requests for this court "out East," but thus far nothing firm has ever materialized.

It would cost more in any event, since Mr. Schneider and I would have to cover the cost of travel and lodging. It would probably add $25 or $30 to the course cost.

[twoguns]

That would be reasonable compared to me having to drive and pay for lodging from this area.

Please keep me advised on that.
Thanks.