Weapon check procedure at courthouses?

[Philadelphia]

Never done it myself. Just curious at this point.

Assume you walk in the front door condition 1, I'm thinking they don't want a line of people headed towards the lockers pulling guns out of holsters and clearing them in front of the sheeple.

How does it work?

Also, do they record the serial number and give you a receipt, or how do they identify what you gave them?

When you get it back, do you reload it at the counter and reholster or what's expected?

I'm also assuming that it works differently in different courthouses so please post your experiences.

Thanks.

[Mtbkski]

I have only done it once. At Gnbrotz hearing.

You emptied your pistol at a Station right outside the door. (I'm sure most court houses don't have anything of the sort) Then you turn over your pistol and magazine and they took it in the back for safe keeping. They gave us a piece of paper as a Claim Check that had everything I gave them written down on it, and off we went. Give them the claim check and they gave us back the pistol. We stepped right outside the door and loaded back up again. It was very well done. I'm sure most court houses won't run nearly this smooth.

Here is a pic of my last Claim Check. We have siced EM on them for the "CLIP" reference.

[rwilson452]

At the Tioga Courthouse I use a paddle holster. I remove the paddle and pistol as a group and place it in the locker. the guard locks it keeps the key and hands me a numbered tag. The tag number matches the locker number. When I leave I hand him my tag he unlocks the locker I retrieve my holster and pistol slide in on my belt and I'm on my way. pistol remains in condition 1 the whole time and is not manipulated at all. I presume this procedure was picked to lessen the chance of a ND.

[Pa. Patriot]

I'm also assuming that it works differently in different courthouses .

Good assumption.

When you enter declare you have a sidearm that you wish to check/secure and ask how they want you to proceed.

[Kypt]

At the Chester County Courthouse, you just walk up to the lockers, throw whatever you want in there (they don't make you clear it), lock it, then take the key.

[Rule10b5]

As you can see from the prior posters, it varies depending on the courthouse.

My advice is to call ahead to the Sheriff's office to ask them the procedure. A lot of courthouses don't have the lockers right near the entrance -- DelCo Common Pleas, for example, has them in the basement of a different building. And some courthouses get pissy about it when you show up at the detector and ask to check a weapon, rather than just going to wherever you're supposed to go to drop it off. The key here is avoidance of hassle, and not being a pain in the ass. You're going to court for a reason; making waves when you're vulnerable is a stupid idea. Be a pain in the ass later, when you have nothing to lose.

Finally, when you're going to DJ court (or Magistrate's Court, or Muni Court, depending on what you call it in your area) call ahead. Tell them the cite for the statute, read the text to them, be very, very polite, and ask them how they'll check your weapon when you show up. Remember, these people are going to be personal friends and/or relatives of the judge. Do not mess with them. If you're going in for a speeding ticket, and they tell you that you're crazy, and that you can't check a weapon, be nice, tell them nevermind and that you'll leave it at home. Then go in, take care of the ticket, and send a polite letter to the judge detailing what happened and the law (cc'ing the county court administrator) AFTER he's rendered a decision. If you act like a prick to him or his staff he'll stomp on you at your hearing. And you won't be able to do a thing about it.

[Pa. Patriot]

Wow, Rule.

What about those of whom have biz at the CH other than being a defendant? We're not all crooks you know. LOL

[Rule10b5]

Wow, Rule.

What about those of whom have biz at the CH other than being a defendant? We're not all crooks you know. LOL

It holds true for virtually any reason you're going past security. You could be a plaintiff in a civil suit. Or the victim in a criminal case. Or maybe you're going for a custody hearing. Or maybe for some reason they have the prothonotary or assessor behind security.

If you piss of the clerk or the guy running the metal detector (even though you're right) he'll be on the phone to the judge's secretary (who he takes smoke breaks with) in a second. She'll pull the judge's ear that there's a smartass coming in, and he'll take it out on you.

It's galling, but right or wrong these people are in a position to cause you a great deal of inconvenience -- or real trouble. My point is that you should start a fight when you choose the battlefield and terms if you want to win the overall war.

Remember: The guys running the metal detector or answering the phone are pissants. And every pissant has an anthill from which he can piss. Don't disturb his anthill when you're close enough to get wet.

[sjl127]

When it was my turn at the metal detector, I told the sheriff that I had a loaded handgun on me.

He asked me if I had a permit and if he could see it.

He asked me where it was, I told him on my right side.

He said to hang on for a minute while he called another deputy up.

The deputy walked me through the metal detector with my gun on me.

Escorted me to a locker room where I pulled it out and locked it up in front of him, he gave me the key.

Did my business, told them I was ready to leave, deputy went back with me, I then chambered my gun, holstered it, he walked me out and told me to have a nice day.

Lancaster County.

[Farbmeister]

What is the proper way to notify security at the metal detector that I need to secure a firearm prior to entry to a courthouse?

I don't want to just whip it out (unless its a she and she's hot) :P.

Just simply say I need to store a firearm? Clear it? secure it unloaded?

Don't want to be the dufus not knowing what to do.