ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Wear, Carry & Transport Defense | Haskell & Dyer
An Honest Mistake About Maryland's Gun Rules Can Still End in an Arrest.
Carrying a handgun without the right permit, or outside what your permit allows, is one of the most common charges in the state. The rules on how to legally transport a firearm are strict, and a good-faith error can still lead to an arrest.
If You're Stopped With a Firearm
Do not explain the gun or consent to a search.
Whether you have a permit, where you were going, and how the firearm was stored can all become the case. Many of these charges start with a stop and a search that may not have been legal. Stay calm, do not consent to a search, ask for a lawyer, and call before you explain anything.
Three Ways These Charges Arise
Permit, Scope, and Transport
Most wear and carry cases come from one of three situations. Each turns on the specific rules, and each is a place a real defense can be built.
No Permit
Carrying Without a Permit
Wearing or carrying a handgun without the required permit is among the most common charges. The post-Bruen permit landscape has shifted, and how the law applies to your situation is worth examining closely.
Permit Scope
Carrying Outside the Rules
Even with a permit, carrying in a prohibited place or outside what the permit allows can be a charge. The line between lawful and unlawful carry is narrower than many permit holders realize.
The Rule That Trips People Up
Transport Rules Are Strict
Maryland's rules for transporting a firearm are precise, and getting them slightly wrong is enough for a charge.
How It Must Be Carried
Unloaded and Secured
Transporting a firearm generally requires it to be unloaded and properly secured, separate from ammunition, and only between certain permitted locations. The details matter, and small errors lead to arrests.
The Honest Mistake
Good Faith Is Not a Free Pass
People who believe they are following the law still get charged when the firearm was loaded, within reach, or being moved for a reason the law does not cover. Intent and good faith are part of the defense we build.
What We Handle
Common Wear, Carry & Transport Charges
From a first carry charge to a transport dispute, we handle the full range.
Carrying without a permit
Carrying outside permit limits
Wearing or carrying a handgun
Unlawful transport of a firearm
Loaded firearm in a vehicle
Handgun on the person
Carrying in a prohibited place
Open carry allegations
What's at Stake
More Than a Ticket
A wear and carry conviction can carry real penalties and a mark on your record.
Jail
Possible incarceration even on a first charge
Record
A weapons offense on background checks
Rights
Risk to your ability to own firearms going forward
Escalation
Heavier exposure if other charges attach
How We Defend a Wear, Carry, or Transport Charge
Many of these cases start with a stop and a search. We attack the stop, the search, and what the State can actually prove.
We Attack the Search
Many of these charges come from a vehicle stop and search. If either was unlawful, the firearm can be suppressed.
We Examine the Permit
The post-Bruen landscape has changed how carry laws apply. We look closely at how the rules fit your situation.
We Press the Transport Rules
Whether the firearm was really transported unlawfully, given how it was stored and where you were going, is often disputable.
We Pursue a Clean Result
Where it fits, we work toward dismissal, diversion, or probation before judgment that keeps a conviction off your record.
Common Questions
Wear, Carry & Transport, Answered
I didn't know I was breaking the law. Does that matter?
It can, depending on the charge. Maryland's carry and transport rules are strict enough that honest mistakes lead to arrests, but your knowledge, intent, and the specific circumstances are still relevant to the defense. A good-faith error is a very different case than deliberate unlawful carry, and we build that distinction out.
The gun was found during a traffic stop. Can I challenge that?
Often, yes, and it is one of the first things we examine. Police need a lawful reason to stop you and a legal basis to search the car. If the stop or the search broke the rules, we can move to suppress the firearm, and a carry case built on that evidence can fall apart without it.
I have a permit. Why was I still charged?
A permit is not unlimited. Carrying in a prohibited place, or outside what your permit covers, can still be a charge even for a lawful permit holder. The exact scope of your permit and where the alleged carry happened both matter, and they are central to the defense.
How is a firearm supposed to be transported in Maryland?
The rules are strict, and generally require the firearm to be unloaded, properly secured, and moved only between certain permitted locations. The specifics depend on the situation, which is exactly why so many people get charged believing they were following the law. We examine whether the transport was actually unlawful.
Can a wear and carry charge be kept off my record?
Often there are paths. Depending on the facts and your history, we pursue dismissal, suppression of an unlawful search, or outcomes like probation before judgment that avoid a conviction. Protecting your record and your firearm rights going forward is a central goal in these cases.
Charged With a Carry or Transport Offense? Let's Look at the Stop First.
Many of these cases turn on whether the stop and search were legal, and on the exact rules that applied. Tell us what happened and get an honest read on your defense. The first conversation is free.
Arrested after hours? Call our 24/7 line: 240-687-0179
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC Practicing Law in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s Counties.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer, LLC
Fax: 301-627-5848
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