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Legal Information: Rhode Island

State Gun Laws

Laws current as of July 19, 2024

How can I find out if the abuser has been convicted of a crime?

Misdemeanor and felony records are usually open to the public, but they are not always easy to access. If you know which court the abuser may have been convicted in, you can go to that courthouse and ask the clerk for the records.

Federal law forbids someone from having a gun if the person was convicted of any felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor.1 Criminal records that would make a person unable to buy a gun are kept in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). However, only law enforcement officers and licensed gun dealers can search the NICS. Your local police department might search the NICS for you if you ask, but they don’t have to.

To read more about the NICS, please see the question What will happen if the abuser tries to purchase a gun?

1 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), (g)(9)

 

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