FRC Jurisdictions Portal
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This top community organizes Firearms Research Center holdings by jurisdiction. It provides separate collections for U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the federal jurisdiction, spanning the territorial period to the present.
Scope of Content
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and selected municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, company records, and oral histories tied to specific places and periods.
- Research outputs: FRC reports, datasets, and interpretive materials that contextualize legal and technical developments.
How to Use
- Browse: open a jurisdiction collection to view items for that state, territory, DC, or the federal jurisdiction.
- Search: use keywords and filter by Jurisdiction, Date Issued, and Category. Record any Exceptions noted for applicability.
- Cite: use the item’s identifier and provided links (Original Source and Duke reference) when available.
Metadata & Standards
Items are described using Dublin Core with standardized fields for Jurisdiction, Date Issued, Category, and Exceptions to support precise discovery and comparison.
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Item type:Item, 1827 N.H. Laws 231-32(1827)Required local tax collectors to collect assessed taxes, and provide advance notice before seizing property for nonpayment, and authorized distraint and public auction of a delinquent taxpayer’s goods after specified notice periods and procedures if taxes remain unpaid.Item type:Item, 1841 Ala. Laws 148-49(1841)§ 4: Prohibited the concealed carrying of "a bowie knife, or knife or instrument of the like kind or description, by whatever name called, dirk or any other deadly weapon, pistol or any species of firearms, or air gun," unless the person is threatened with an attack or is traveling or "setting out on a journey." Punished by a fine of $50-100.Item type:Item, 2 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 1211 (1834)(1831)Required the quartermaster general to distribute public arms among the members of each company.Item type:Item, 2 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 1301 (1834)(1828)Criminalized the nonfatal wounding of another with a deadly weapon in a sudden affray or heat of passion.Item type:Item, 2 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 1472 (1834)(1829)§ 5 prohibited enslaved persons and other minorities from possessing firearms, subject to seizure. § 6 provided an exception for housekeepers and licensed individuals.Item type:Item, Wis. Stat. Ann. 2379, § 4384 (1889)(1848)If any person shall go armed with a dirk, dagger, sword, pistol or pistols, or other offensive and dangerous weapon, without reasonable cause to fear an assault or other injury or violence to his person, or to his family or property, he may, on complaint of any other person having reasonable cause to fear an injury or breach of the peace, be required to find sureties for keeping the peace for a term not exceeding six months, with the right of appealing as before provided.Item type:Item, Tex. Const., Art. I, § 13(1845)Declared every citizen "shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence of himself and the State"Item type:Item, Mo. Const. of 1820 art. XIII, § 3(1820)Declared that the right of the People to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the state shall not be questioned.Item type:Item, Item type:Item, Mason Brayman, Revised Statutes of the State of Illinois 176 (1845)(1845)Criminal Jurisprudence, § 139: Prohibited the carrying of "any pistol, gun, knife, dirk, bludgeon or other offensive weapon, with intent to assault any person. Punishable by fine up to $100 or imprisonment up to 3 months.Item type:Item, Leslie A. Thompson, A Manual or Digest of the Statute Law of the State of Florida 498 (1847)(1832)Act of Jan. 5, 1847, Ch. 75, § 3: Prohibited concealed carry of any dirk, pistol, or other arm or weapon. Violators fined not less than five dollars not exceeding five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not less than ten days nor exceeding six months.Item type:Item, Ark. Const. art. II, § 21 (1836)(1836)Establishes the right to keep and bear arms for "the free white men of this State."Item type:Item, 1839 Wis. Terr. Stat. 381(1838)If any person shall go armed with a dirk, dagger, sword, pistol or pistols, or other offensive and dangerous weapon, without reasonable cause to fear an assault or other injury, or violence to his person, or to his family, or property, he may, on complaint of any other person having reasonable cause to fear an injury or breach of the peace, be required to find sureties for keeping the peace for a term not exceeding six months, with the right of appealing as before provided.Item type:Item, Statutes of the Territory of Wisconsin: Passed by the Legislative Assembly thereof, a Session commencing in November 1838, and at an adjourned Session commencing in January, 1839, at 381 § 16(1838)"If any person shall go armed with a dirk, dagger, sword, pistol or pistols, or other offensive and dangerous weapon, without reasonable cause to fear an assault or other injury, or violence to his person, or to his family, or property, he may, on complaint of any other person having reasonable cause to fear an injury or breach of the peace, be required to find sureties for keeping the peace for a term not exceeding six months, with the right of appealing as before provided."Item type:Item, University of Virginia Board of Visitors Minutes 6-7 (Oct. 4-5, 1824)(1824)Banned students from keeping or using weapons or arms of any kind or gunpowder on campus.Item type:Item, An Ordinance, for the Government of the Powder Magazine of this City, and for other purposes (1828)(1828)That no person or persons within the City of Richmond, shall retain in his, her or their possession at any time, more than twenty-five pounds of Powder.Item type:Item, Ordinances of the Corporation of the City of Richmond ch. 26, § 13 (1830)(1830)That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to fire or discharge any Gun, Pistol, Fowling-Piece or Fire-Arms, or to make any other unusual noise within the limits of this City, whereby the inhabitants thereof may be alarmed, except in cases of necessity or in the performance of some public and lawful act of duty, nor to discharge or set-off any Rocket, Cracker, Torpedo, Squib or Balloon, containing any substance in a state of combustion, or other Fire-works within the said City, without permission first had and obtained in writing, from the Mayor of the City, under the penalty of six dollars and sixty-six cents for each offence, if freeItem type:Item, 1838 Va. Acts 76(1838)Ch. 101, § 1: It is against the law to habitually or generally keep or carry about his person any pistol, dirk, bowie knife, or any other weapon of the like kind . . . hidden or concealed from common observation.Item type:Item, 1847-48 Va. Acts 67(1846)Ch. 79, § 1: That if any person shall unlawfully shoot at another in any public square ... with intent in so doing to maim, disfigure, disable or kill such person, or to do him some other bodily harm, ... every such offender, his aiders and abettors, shall be guilty of a high misdemeanor. and shall on conviction, be punished by imprisonment in the common jail for a period not less than six months nor more than three years...Item type:Item, 1847-48 Va. Laws 129, ch. 14, § 16.(1848)If any person shall go armed with any offensive or dangerous weapon without reasonable cause to fear an assault or other injury, or violence to his person, or to his family or property, he may be required to find sureties for keeping the peace for a term not exceeding twelve months, with the right of appealing as before provided.Item type:Item, 1847-48 Va. Acts 110(1847)Ch. 7, § 8: Created a fine for habitual conceal carrying of any pistol, dirk, Bowie knife, or weapon of the like kind. Fifty dollarsItem type:Item, Charter and Revised Laws of Alexandria § 23 (1821)(1821)An Act Reducing into One and Amending the Several Acts Respecting the Removal of Nuisances, § 23: That no person shall discharge any musket, fowling piece, pistol, or other fire arms, or any composition of gun powder, or fulminating powder, within the limits of the town of Alexandria, unless in the execution of some law, or in the discharge of some duty imposed by law. Every person ofiending herein, shall forfeit and pay one dollar for each offence."Item type:Item, 1849 Vt. Acts & Resolves 26(1849)Prohibited the manufacture, sale, giving, or disposing of any instrument or weapon usually known as a slungshot, and prohibited the carrying any slungshot or similar weapon. Violators guilty of misdemeanor, punishable by fine not exceeding five hundred but not less than two hundred dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding two years.Item type:Item, 1837 Vt. Acts & Resolves 38(1837)An Act for Regulating and Governing the Militia of This State, ch. 9, art. 20: Every non commissioned officer and private, who shall neglect to keep himself armed and equipped as provided by this act, or who shall, at any time of examination, or any company training, in the month of June, be destitute, or appear unprovided with the arms and equipments herein directed, excepting as before excepted, shall pay a fine not exceeding seventy-five cents for a gun, and twenty-five cents for each and every other article, in which he shall be delinquent; or if he shall appear with his arms in an unfit condition, he shall be fined not exceeding seventy-five cents, at the discretion of his commanding officer.Item type:Item, 1836 Tex. Gen. Laws 54-55, An Act to Provide for the National Defense by Organizing the Militia, § 1.(1836)That every citizen so enrolled and notified, shall within ten days thereafter provide himself with a good musket, a sufficient bayonet and belt, six flints, knapsack and cartridge box, with twenty-four suitable ball cartridgesItem type:Item, 1839 Tex. Gen. Laws, at 172(1839)An Act Concerning Slaves, § 6: Prohibited any "slave" from carrying firearms or weapons without the consent of his master.Item type:Item, 1839 Tex. Gen. Laws, at 214(1839)An Act To Incorporate The City Of Austin, § 7: That the Mayor and Counsel shall have full power and authority ... to prevent gunpowder being stored within the city and suburbs in such quantities as to endanger the public safety. . .Item type:Item, Tenn. Const. art. I, § 26(1831)Establishes the right to keep and bear arms for the "free white men of this State."Item type:Item, 1837-1838 Tenn. Pub. Acts 200, ch. 137, § 1.(1837)Prohibited any merchant from selling a Bowie knife or Arkansas tooth pick. Punishable by fine of $100-500 and imprisonment for $1-6 months.Item type:Item, 1836 Tenn. Comp. Stat. 673(1821)Shooting, 1821—Chapter 68, § 1: [A]ny person or persons who shall after the first of January next, shoot at a mark within the bounds of any town, or within two hundred yards of any public road of the first or second class within the state, such person or persons so offending shall be subject to a fine of ten dollars each[.]Item type:Item, 1836 Tenn. Comp. Stat. 100(1825)Arms, 1825—Chapter 19, § 1: When any sheriff, coroner, or constable, shall know of his own knowledge, or upon the representation of any person, or if he or they, shall have good reason to suspect, any person of being armed with the intention of committing a riot or affray, or the wounding or killing any person, it shall be the duty of all such officers, immediately to arrest all such persons so suspected, and return them before some justice of the peace, whose duty it shall be, upon proof being made, that there was reasonable ground to suspect such person or persons for being armed, with intent to disturb or commit a breach of the peace, to bind such person or persons in a bond with two or more good and sufficient securities, in a sum of not less than two hundred and fifty dollars, and not exceeding two thousand dollars, conditioned for his or their good behavior and peaceable deportment for the term of twelve months thereafterItem type:Item, 1831 Tenn. Pub. Acts 314(1831)Acts 1741, c. 24, § 40: Prohibited any "slave" from being armed with a gun, sword, club, or other weapon without a certificate from a court.Item type:Item, 1837-1838 Tenn. Pub. Acts 201, ch. 137, § 4(1837)Prohibited the stabbing or cutting of another person with any knife or weapon known as a "Bowie knife, Arkansas tooth pick, or any knife or weapon that shall in form, shape or size resemble a Bowie knife," regardless of whether the person dies. Punishable by imprisonment for 3-15 years.Item type:Item, 1837-38 Tenn. Pub. Acts 200, ch. 137, § 1(1837)An Act to Suppress the Sale and Use of Bowie Knives and Arkansas Tooth Picks in this State, ch. 137, § 1: That if any merchant, . . . shall sell, or offer to sell . . . any Bowie knife or knives, or Arkansas tooth picks . . . such merchant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof upon indictment or presentment, shall be fined in a sum not less than one hundred dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, and shall be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not less than one month nor more than six months.Item type:Item, 1836 Tenn. Comp. Stat. 325(1836)Felonies, 1829—Chapter 23, § 56: If any person within this state shall fight a duel, or shall deliberately and maliciously challenge, by word or writing, any other person, to fight with sword, pistol, or other deadly weapon, or shall deliberately and maliciously invite another verbally, or by writing, to meet him in this state, or elsewhere, with a view or intent to challenge or fight; or if any person so challenged, shall deliberately and maliciously accept the said challenge, in either case, such person so deliberately and maliciously giving or receiving, or sending any such challenge, and being convicted thereof, shall be sentenced to imprisonment, at hard labor in the penitentiary, for a term not less than three nor more than ten years: Provided always, that no person who shall be verbally challenged, shall be a competent witness to prove the fact of such verbal challenge, against any person who may be indicted for the same.Item type:Item, 1837-38 Tenn. Pub. Acts 200-01, ch. 137, § 2(1837)An Act to Suppress the Sale and Use of Bowie Knives and Arkansas Tooth Picks in this State: Prohibited the carrying of a concealed Bowie knife, Arkansas tooth pick, or other knife or weapon. Punishable by fine of $200-500 and imprisonment for 3-6 months.Item type:Item, 1825 Tenn. Priv. Acts 306(1825)An Act to Amend an Act Passed at Murfreesboro, October 20, 1821, Incorporating Winchester and Reynoldsburgh, ch. 292 § 3: That said mayor and aldermen may, and shall, have power and authority to make any rules and laws regulating the police of said town and the inhabitants thereof, to restrain and punish drinking, gaming, fighting, breaking the sabbath, shooting and carrying guns, and enact penalties and enforce the same, so that they do not conflict or violate the constitution of this State, and are consistent with the laws of this state.Item type:Item, 1836 Tenn. Comp. Stat. 496(1835)Misdemeanors, 1835—Chapter 58, § 2: Prohibited any "free person" from selling, loaning, or giving any gun, pistol, sword, or dirk to "any slave."Item type:Item, 1836 Tenn. Comp. Stat. 100(1821)Arms, 1821—Chapter 13, § 1: Every person so degrading himself by carrying a dirk, sword cane, Spanish stiletto, belt or pocket pistols, either public or private, shall pay a fine of five dollars for every such offence, which may be recovered by warrant before any justice of the peace, in the name of the county for its use, in which the offence may have been committed; and it shall be the duty of a justice to issue a warrant on the application, on oath, of any person applying; and it shall be the duty of every judge, justice of the peace, sheriff, coroner, and constable within this state, to see that this act shall have its full effect: Provided, that nothing herein contained shall affect any person that may be on a journey to any place out of his county or state.Item type:Item, 1821 Tenn. Pub. Acts 63(1821)An Act to Amend the Militia Laws of This State, ch. 55, §§ 2-3: § 2. [T]he commissioned and staff officers of the infantry are hereby required to meet at the place of holding their battalion musters at eleven o'clock on the day preceding said muster, armed with a rifle, musket, or shot gun and dressed in the uniform prescribed by law, for the purpose of being trained as at regimental drills, and the commanding or senior officer present shall call, or cause the roll to be called, and make a return of all delinquents to the next regimental or battalion court martial. § 3. That regimental courts martial shall have power to fine delinquents, field or staff officers, and it shall be the duty of the commanding or senior officer present at any regimental, battalion or drill muster, to make a return of all such delinquents to the next regimental or battalion court martial, and they shall have a discretionary power to assess fines or not as they may think proper on delinquents.