{"id":28802,"date":"2025-03-05T14:13:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T14:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/?p=28802"},"modified":"2025-04-04T14:27:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T14:27:18","slug":"what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/news\/what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Carrying a Loaded Firearm in CA: Penalties &#038; Defenses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-28804\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california.jpg\" alt=\"carrying a loaded firearm criminal defense attorney San Diego\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/what-happens-caught-carrying-loaded-gun-firearm-california-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>Out of all 50 states, California is by far the strictest when it comes to gun control laws (followed closely by New York, New Jersey, and Illinois). Needless to say, that automatically implies much harsher penalties for the offenders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, we\u2019ll be exploring different facets of California gun laws, from basic penalties to possible enhancements to valid defense strategies, to help you fully familiarize yourself with the gravity of this offense.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, given the severity of the potential consequences those charged with <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carrying a loaded firearm<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> face, it is critical to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/firearms\/carrying-a-loaded-firearm\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seek legal guidance from the best<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">criminal defense attorney in San Diego<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you can find.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What happens if you get caught carrying a loaded gun in California?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carrying a loaded firearm on one\u2019s person or in a vehicle constitutes a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/news\/what-penal-code-pc-25850-ca-california\/\">violation of the California Penal Code (PC) \u00a725850<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and may be subject to a range of penalties, from hefty fines to lengthy jail time, depending on how the case is tried.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is 25850 PC a felony?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breach of CA PC \u00a725850 is a \u201cwobbler\u201d offense, meaning that it can be tried either as a misdemeanor or a felony (based on the circumstances of the case), with respective penalties being as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PC \u00a725850 as misdemeanor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. In addition, the court may impose summary probation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PC \u00a725850 as a felony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 16 months, two years, or three years in state prison, a fine up to $10,000, or both. The court may (and typically does) impose formal probation (post-conviction), upon which completion the felony may be reduced to a misdemeanor.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the PC \u00a725850 is elevated to the status of a felony (from a misdemeanor) depends on the presence of aggravating factors, which include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The existence of prior convictions for certain serious offenses (e.g., drug-related, violent, other firearm-related offenses, other felonies, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The safety of the community has been jeopardized.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The carried firearm was stolen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The offender is an active gang member.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The carried firearm is unregistered or otherwise in illegal possession.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to the aforementioned penalties, a felony conviction can have long-term implications on the offender\u2019s Second Amendment rights. As per<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov\/faces\/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=29800&amp;lawCode=PEN\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CA PC \u00a729800<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/news\/what-penal-code-pc-29800-california-felon-possession-firearm\/\">convicted felons are prohibited from owning or carrying firearms<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.monderlaw.com\/\/news\/california-felon-possession-firearm-defense\/\">violation of this prohibition can lead to additional charges<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the defenses against PC \u00a725850 charges?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individuals charged with carrying a loaded firearm have several potential avenues of defense, which involve proving beyond reasonable doubt:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The firearm was NOT loaded<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: If the firearm was not loaded, there are no grounds for conviction under PC \u00a725850. However, the defendant may still be convicted under PC \u00a726350 (Openly Carrying an Unloaded Firearm) or PC \u00a725400 (Carrying a Concealed Weapon).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of knowledge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The defendant was not aware of the presence of a loaded firearm on their person or in their vehicle.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>4th Amendment violation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Proving the firearm was discovered by law enforcement through an illegal search and seizure can lead to the suppression of the evidence and the potential dismissal of charges.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>(Self-) Defense<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: This can be a viable strategy if the defendant reasonably believed that, by carrying a loaded firearm, they could\u2019ve prevented harm to self or others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal exception<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Proving that the defendant falls under one of the categories that are exempt from being prohibited to carry a loaded firearm (e.g., active military or law enforcement personnel, owner of a valid CCW license, security guard, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was charged with <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carrying a loaded firearm<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Which <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">criminal defense attorney near me in San Diego<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should I hire?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Downtown_San_Diego\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Downtown San Diego<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or one of the surrounding areas, Monder Criminal Lawyer Group should be your go-to for any case involving criminal defense. Our team specializes in different aspects of California criminal law, and we have ample experience handling even the most difficult cases. Reach out to us today for a free consultation, and let\u2019s create a strategy that&#8217;s ideal for your circumstances!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Out of all 50 states, California is by far the strictest when it comes to gun control laws (followed closely by New York, New Jersey, and Illinois). Needless to say, that automatically implies much harsher penalties for the offenders. Today, we\u2019ll be exploring different facets of California gun laws, from basic penalties to possible enhancements [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Penalties &amp; Defenses for Carrying a Loaded Firearm in California<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What are the repercussions of being sentenced for carrying a loaded firearm &amp; what are some common defense strategies? 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