Legal Information: Maine

State Gun Laws

Updated: 
December 28, 2022

If the abuser's gun is taken away, what will happen to it?

Maine has no laws to ensure people who become prohibited from possessing firearms due to a criminal conviction actually follow the law by relinquishing their firearms.1 You may need to ask a lawyer about your options or ask a judge to give the abuser instructions on relinquishing his/her firearms in your protection from abuse order or other options if you know the abuser cannot legally have a firearm.

If the judge prohibits the defendant from possessing dangerous weapons or firearms in a temporary protection from abuse (PFA) order, the judge will direct the defendant to turn them over to a law enforcement officer or other individual within 24 hours after service of the PFA order on the defendant. The defendant has the right to file a motion in court to reverse this decision.2

1 Giffords Law Center
2 ME ST T. 19-A § 4006(2-A)

Legal Information

WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.

© 2008–2021 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.