Grass Roots North Carolina / Forum For Firearms Education
Post Office Box 10665, Raleigh, NC 27605
877.282.0939 (Phone) 919.573.0354 (Fax) www.GRNC.org

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Release date: June 9, 2022


 GRNC Gun Permit Victory in Mecklenburg  

Sheriff McFadden now under court

order to comply with gun permit laws 

 

[Charlotte] In response to litigation filed by Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC) and Gun Owners of America (GOA) over delays in handgun permits, a Superior Court judge last month issued a preliminary injunction enjoining Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden from further delays.

Now a June 8, 2022 consent order issued against McFadden requires the sheriff:

  1. To process NC pistol purchase permit applications within the 14 calendar days required by law, and issue permits to qualified applicants immediately as required under G.S. 14-404(f).
  2. To take fingerprints on the same day that a concealed handgun applicant presents at the sheriff’s office for fingerprinting.
  3. To make all requests for mental health records for concealed handgun applicants within 10 calendar days of receiving the application, as required by G.S. 14-415.15(a);
  4. To issue or deny concealed handgun applications within 45 calendar days and receipt of mental health records, as required by G.S. 14-415(a); and
  5. Further enjoins McFadden from otherwise violating state law with respect to issuing pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits.

To see the order, go to: https://www.grnc.org/documents/mcfadden-consent-order.pdf

Statement from GRNC president Paul Valone:

“The days of North Carolina sheriffs obstructing handgun purchases and concealed handgun permits are over.

“Under the consent order issued on June 8, 2022 against Sheriff Garry McFadden, he will no longer be able to drag his feet in processing North Carolina pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits, often taking up to a year to issue permits and preventing lawful North Carolinians from buying and carrying handguns for defense of themselves and their families. 

“We believe this order sends a clear message to sheriffs in Guilford, Mecklenburg and Wake counties, among others, that obstructing lawful citizens from exercising the right to keep and bear arms will no longer be tolerated. To ensure compliance, Grass Roots North Carolina advises anyone whose fingerprints are not taken on the same day he or she submits a completed concealed handgun permit application to contact us immediately. 

“We are also calling upon North Carolinians to report gun permit problems experienced in Buncombe, Guilford, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties or elsewhere.

"GRNC thanks Attorney Ron Shook for volunteering his time to litigate this case for our members. Ron is one of our ‘gun-friendly lawyers and helps people state-wide in fighting for their Second Amendment rights. Ron's contact information can be found on our website under the ‘gun-friendly’ lawyers tab.” 

Background:  

For years, GRNC has received complaints from Mecklenburg County residents over unlawful delays in issuing pistol purchase permits and concealed handgun permits. Because all handgun transfers in North Carolina require either a pistol purchase permit or concealed handgun permit, lawful North Carolinians are being prevented from protecting their families at precisely the moment that violent crime is exploding around the country.

For more information: www.GRNC.org

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Founded in 1994, Grass Roots North Carolina is an all-volunteer 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to preserving individual liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights with emphasis on the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

 

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