PA Visitor needs some advice

**SemperFi83** · September 29th, 2008, 01:20 PM

I am an Ohio resident with an Ohio conealed carry license and I recently applied for and received my Pennsylvania LTCF as well.

I will be in the Philadelphia area for a long weekend in December while my son plays in a soccer tournament there. Usually these games are held at outdoor public/city parks (yes outdoor in December!)

.

From what I can find it seems that as long as I don't go on school grounds, a courthouse, airport or state park, I should be good to carry concealed in the city and state?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in avance.

**LittleRedToyota** · September 29th, 2008, 01:32 PM

the only thing you need to watch out for that you haven't already mentioned is national parks.

there are several places in philly (like where the liberty bell is displayed, etc.) that are technically national parks and, thus, are off limits by federal law.

**HiredGoon** · September 29th, 2008, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by SemperFi83

I am an Ohio resident with an Ohio conealed carry license and I recently applied for and received my Pennsylvania LTCF as well.

I will be in the Philadelphia area for a long weekend in December while my son plays in a soccer tournament there. Usually these games are held at outdoor public/city parks (yes outdoor in December!)

.

From what I can find it seems that as long as I don't go on school grounds, a courthouse, airport or state park, I should be good to carry concealed in the city and state?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in avance.

Something else to mention here. From what I've seen elsewhere on this forum, you are fine to carry at airports anywhere except, of course, past the security screening checkpoints.

And school grounds is kind of a gray area the way the statute is written, but I probably wouldn't try it.

Also, places that have signs up prohibiting firearms, do not carry any legal weight. So legally, you can carry where you see such a sign. However, if an employee, manager or owner tells you to leave, you must do so immediately. If you stay after being told to go, you could be charged with trespassing.
If you conceal well, you should not have a problem.

Enjoy your time in PA and stick around the forum.

**SemperFi83** · September 29th, 2008, 03:12 PM

Thanks for the info guys, very helpful!

**soberbyker** · September 29th, 2008, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by HiredGoon

Something else to mention here. From what I've seen elsewhere on this forum, you are fine to carry at airports anywhere except, of course, past the security screening checkpoints.

And school grounds is kind of a gray area the way the statute is written, but I probably wouldn't try it.

Also, places that have signs up prohibiting firearms, do not carry any legal weight. So legally, you can carry where you see such a sign. However, if an employee, manager or owner tells you to leave, you must do so immediately. If you stay after being told to go, you could be charged with trespassing.
If you conceal well, you should not have a problem.

Enjoy your time in PA and stick around the forum.

FWIW

from another thread .....

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

Please stop saying this, it's not necessarily true, no matter how many times it's repeated.

If you carry a gun into a place that is posted against guns, you could arguably be prosecuted under the trespassing statute, for doing something on the property that you have been placed on notice you are without license to do.

Signs have legal weight. The signs in the parking garage that say "not responsible for lost items" have legal weight. Signs are not a legal nullity, and in the absence of case law interpreting the trespassing statute to clearly negate the "no guns" signs, we do a disservice to people by giving them the false sense of confidence that they are free to ignore these signs.

It's true that other states have specific statutes giving weight to these specific signs, and PA does not have such a law. However, that's not the same as saying that there's no operative difference between having a sign and not having a sign. You can't be prosecuted in PA under the "disobeying a no weapons sign" statute because there is none, but we do have a "trespassing" statute. A sign puts you on notice as to the terms of the permission granted to you to use the private property of another. If you go outside those terms of use, you are trespassing.

This is a legal matter, it's a legal conclusion, and you need to have a firm legal basis before telling anyone that it's safe to say "screw you" to a property owner and make him tell you face-to-face what his sign already advised you.

**knighthawk06699** · September 29th, 2008, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

the only thing you need to watch out for that you haven't already mentioned is national parks.

there are several places in philly (like where the liberty bell is displayed, etc.) that are technically national parks and, thus, are off limits by federal law.

That is pretty much all there is to say here. Enjoy your stay and best of luck to your son.

**SemperFi83** · October 3rd, 2008, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by knighthawk06699

That is pretty much all there is to say here. Enjoy your stay and best of luck to your son.

Thanks again guys...very helpful.

**shefearsnothing** · October 3rd, 2008, 10:15 AM

Regarding the signs...I'd like to know how they can prove you SAW the signs and how you can read English....? (assuming they are only printed in English)