Almost one out of every five adults in the United States are living with some form of mental illness. Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses can range in severity from mild to debilitating. If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, you may wonder how this could affect your gun rights in Wisconsin. You may ask, “Are people with a mental illness prohibited from owning firearms?” or “Will I be forced to surrender my firearms if I am a patient in a mental health facility?” It is important to understand Wisconsin gun laws in order to avoid criminal charges.
Wisconsin Law Regarding Firearm Possession and Mental Health
The right to possess a firearm is granted by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, there are some situations in which a person can lose his or her gun rights. Possession of a firearm is a Class G felony criminal offense in Wisconsin if the person possessing the gun:
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