Attorney General Jeff Jackson, North Carolina Law Enforcement Leaders Defend North Carolina’s Public Safety Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Contact: comms@ncdoj.gov
919-538-2809

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson and state law enforcement leaders are defending the constitutionality of North Carolina’s Felony Firearms Act and the North Carolina General Assembly’s right to prevent dangerous criminals from owning firearms and putting communities in danger.

In State v. Ducker, Attorney General Jackson is defending the state’s law barring convicted felons from possessing firearms while the defendant seeks to have the law overturned before the North Carolina Supreme Court. This week, the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys wrote and submitted a brief, along with the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, and the North Carolina Police Executives Association, supporting Attorney General Jackson’s arguments and the law.

“I’m grateful to stand with our district attorneys, sheriffs, and police chiefs to defend this law and keep North Carolinians safe,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “We owe it to families and the law enforcement officers who respond to danger every day to keep guns away from violent criminals.”

Under North Carolina’s Felony Firearms Act, people who are convicted of felonies cannot possess a gun. North Carolina’s law exists because people who commit serious crimes are more likely to misuse firearms than people who follow the law. Keeping guns out of their hands keeps law enforcement officers and all North Carolinians safe.

The defendant was convicted of attempting to flee from police in his vehicle while speeding and driving recklessly on a revoked license and was also convicted of twice violating domestic violence protective orders. He was later caught possessing a firearm and convicted under the Felony Firearms Act.

The defendant appealed his case to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and that court upheld the conviction. He is now appealing his case to the North Carolina Supreme Court and arguing that the ban on his possession of firearms violates the state and federal Constitution.

Attorney General Jackson is asking the Supreme Court to affirm this conviction.

“State v. Ducker represents a challenge to our state’s well-established law regarding felons possessing firearms,” said Lauren Earnhardt, Executive Vice President for the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. “The Association joined in an amicus brief because it is of utmost importance to sheriffs across the state to have clear, enforceable laws regarding firearms. This case is an opportunity for the Supreme Court of North Carolina to add to the clarity of our current statute.”

“The North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police supports the state’s position in the Ducker case now before the North Carolina Supreme Court,” said Bill Hollingsed, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police. “We believe that North Carolina’s prohibition on firearm possession by convicted felons is an essential public safety measure that helps law enforcement protect the communities that we serve.”

“Our Association strongly supports the language in the amicus brief in the Ducker case,” said the North Carolina Police Executives Association. “Law enforcement’s ability to charge felons found in possession of firearms should be strengthened, not weakened. Our mission to keep our communities safe cannot be compromised and we strongly support the state’s argument in this case.”

Gov. Josh Stein also filed a brief supporting Attorney General Jackson’s arguments in this case.

“The Felony Firearms Act represents North Carolina’s commonsense determination that people who commit violent crimes are more likely to misuse firearms and put innocent people at risk,” said Gov. Josh Stein. “Most states and the federal government join North Carolina in prohibiting felons from possessing firearms, and none of these prohibitions have been deemed unconstitutional. The Supreme Court must affirm the Court of Appeals’ judgment to keep people safe from violent crime.”

Copies of the state’s brief and the supporting brief from law enforcement are available here.

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