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Legal Information: Colorado

State Gun Laws

Updated: 
October 13, 2023

The abuser did not show up for the protection order hearing. Can his/her gun still be taken away?

The abuser does not have to come to the hearing in order for the law to apply to him/her, but s/he does have to be given notice of the hearing and an opportunity to attend.1 If no hearing is scheduled, and/or no notice is given about the court hearing, then the federal firearm law might not apply to the abuser.2

1 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(8); see, for example, United States v. Bunnell 106 F. Supp. 2d 60 (D. Me. 2000), aff’d 280 F.3d 46 (1st Cir. 2002.)
2 See, for example, United States v. Spruill,292 F. 3d 207 (5th Cir. 2002.)