After a few years of dedication to her craft as a sport shooter, Kassandra passed her IPSC Black Badge Safety Training Program with flying colours, allowing her to compete in sanctioned IPSC matches as a full-fledged member.
Kassandra was overjoyed to be progressing in her sport and was looking forward to some upcoming IPSC matches. But her joy and excitement would quickly succumb to fear and anguish.
It was just a few days after passing her Black Badge Course when Kassandra heard an aggressive knock on her apartment door late in the evening.
Dressed in a nightie, she opened the door to two police officers who barged into her apartment along with two Paramedics. The officers immediately put Kassandra in handcuffs, restrained her on the Paramedics’ stretcher, then proceeded to search her apartment for anything they could find to lay charges.
Feeling violated and vulnerable and in a state of complete shock, Kassandra was forced to provide answers to the police officers’ aggressive line of questioning.
“Where is your other ammunition stored?” and “Where is your other gun?” they demanded, trying to catch her up and find a way to lay charges.
That night, Kassandra’s firearms were seized and her firearm licence was revoked under the Criminal Code.
In a matter of minutes, Kassandra’s life was turned upside down, she was made to feel like a criminal, even though she had been following Canada’s firearm regulations by the book.
So why did the police show up at Kassandra’s apartment in the first place?
It turns out that Kassandra’s ex-husband, in an attempt at revenge, made a false report to police that Kassandra was struggling with depression and severe mental health issues and had firearms in the house.
Unfortunately, that’s all it takes to turn someone’s life into a living nightmare. Kassandra was shattered, she didn’t know where to turn or how she would ever get her property returned and her firearm licence back.
The sport shooting community was such a big part of Kassandra’s life and she wanted it back.
Remembering that she was a policy holder, Kassandra called Firearm Legal Defence and explained her situation. She was assigned to a lawyer who immediately provided Kassandra with legal advice and began work on her case.
Kassandra felt an overwhelming sense of relief, knowing that someone was on her side and was there to help her navigate through the legal system.
Kassandra was apprehended under Canada’s Mental Health Act. It took months and many meetings with the Crown attorney for Kassandra’s lawyer to persuade the Crown to drop the application against her.
Citing physician reports, a stack of personal references, and demonstrating the history of Kassandra’s accuser, her lawyer proved that Kassandra was mentally fit to possess firearms.
With the evidence now stacked in Kassandra’s favour, the Crown attorney dropped the application, paving the way for Kassandra’s firearms to be returned and her firearm licence reinstated.
Kassandra’s Firearm Legal Defence policy appointed her a qualified lawyer with experience handling firearm related cases and covered all her legal expenses, totalling over $11,000. Had Kassandra’s case proceeded to court, her legal costs would have been substantially more.
“Accessing help when I needed it through Firearm Legal Defence was easy. My calls were responded to promptly, everything was done in a timely manner and the customer service was excellent. In times of stress under those circumstances, there was such a sense of relief knowing that someone was in my corner” said a greatly relieved Kassandra.
Before you find yourself in Kassandra’s situation or one similar to it, make sure Firearms Legal Defense Insurance has your back.
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CSSA members receive $10 off when you visit FirearmLegalDefence.com, click “Buy Now” and enter your CSSA Discount Code: CSSA001.
Firearm Legal Defence pays legal fees, court costs and time off work to attend court — up to $250,000 per occurrence (recently increased 50% for no additional cost!) — $1,000,000 total per policy year. Plus you receive unlimited legal advice through our toll-free Legal Advice Helpline.
Open letter to members of the firearms community by Steven Blaney