Results

Kelly Keegan’s client dreamed of teaching his children to hunt and to allow his significant other to keep her firearm into their home, but was unable due to a lifetime firearms prohibition resulting from a felony fifth degree marijuana possession conviction in 2003. Despite vigorous opposition by the prosecutor, Kelly successfully argued her client demonstrated rehabilitation both in regard to the offense and also as to gaining custody of his children, including an adopted son with developmental disabilities. In addition, Kelly argued that her client’s offenses were crimes of poverty and would not be repeated because he since has started a successful business with employees that he supervises. The judge agreed, restoring her client’s firearm rights so that he may now hunt once again, pass his knowledge along to his children, and allow his fiancée to bring her firearm into their shared family home.

Over 15 years’ ago, Kelly’s client, at the age of 17 and while under the influence of alcohol, broke into an American Legion in Anoka County and tried to steal money from a safe. He was caught when a worker found him in the building. He pled guilty to felony first degree burglary, leading to a lifetime prohibition on firearms. Following successful treatment for alcohol and drug issues in his twenties, Kelly’s client rehabilitated, graduating from a technical college and becoming employed as a highly skilled welder. Despite vigorous opposition by the prosecutor, Kelly was able to convince the judge to restore her client’s firearm rights. Her client now has plans to go duck hunting with his father for the first time since he was a child and also to hunt together with his girlfriend and friends.

Kelly’s client retained her after the FBI denied his firearm purchase as a result of a ‘conviction in any court of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than two years’. Upon review of her client’s record and underlying court documentation from his sole offense in Dakota County, a juvenile charge of burglary, Kelly determined that the FBI denial was incorrect because her client’s plea was not accepted and, as a result, he had not in fact been convicted of a crime at all. Kelly communicated her findings to the FBI in order to restore her client’s firearm rights and overcome the FBI’s denial.

Kelly Keegan’s client’s was charged with misdemeanor theft in 2016 in Hennepin County for eating a bag of Cheetos worth $0.44 while shopping for groceries. She retained Kelly due to the outsized effects this seemingly insignificant offense was having on her successful career as a private investigator and plans to work in law enforcement. She was also faced with embarrassing questioning when applying to rent apartments. The court granted Kelly’s client’s expungement so that she can now pursue her dream of becoming a police officer.

Kelly’s client came to her for help advancing his career as a franchisee owner and operator since his drug conviction blocked him from partnering in the ownership of franchises. He also dreamed of joining family members to deer hunt on land in Northern Minnesota that has been in his family for over 100 years. Kelly cited numerous facts to the judge to demonstrate that her client has rehabilitated and deserves both expungement gun rights’ restoration. These include his stable, successful career, his commitment to volunteering and community involvement and the support he enjoys from his employer and numerous community members and family. The judge agreed, granting the expungement and restoring her client’s gun rights. Kelly’s client can now pursue his dream of direct franchise ownership and joining his family to hunt on his ancestral family land.