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.

Questions

For questions about coverage, rights, or submissions, contact the Firearms Research Center (firearmsresearchcenter.org).

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Now showing 1 - 29 of 29

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.
Wis. Stat. Ann. 2226, §§ 4397-4397b (1889)
(1889)
Prohibited carrying concealed dangerous weapons, carrying pistols or revolvers by minors or intoxicated persons, and selling, lending, or giving pistols or revolvers to minors. It also prohibited the sale or use of toy firearms. Violations generally carried up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine up to $100, or both.
Wis. Rev. Stat. 985, ch. 175, § 18 (1858)
(1858)
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.
The Code of West Virginia: Comprising Legislation to the Year 1870, at 703, ch. 153, §8
(1870)
Prohibited any person going armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon, without reasonable cause to fear violence. Individuals accused may be required to post a surety.
W. Va. Code 703, ch. 153, § 3(8) (1870)
(1870)
Ch. 153, § 3(8): "If any person go armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon, without reasonable cause to fear violence to his person, family, or property, he may be required to give a recognizance, with the right of appeal, as before provided, and like proceedings shall be had on such appeal."
1888 Wash. Terr. Sess. Laws 100
(1888)
Act of Jan. 31, 1888, § 2: Every person who shall, in a manner likely to cause terror to the people passing, exhibit or flourish, in the streets of an incorporated city or unincorporated town, any dangerous weapon, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine in any sum not exceeding twenty-five dollars.
William Lair Hill, Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington, Showing All Statutes in Force, Including the Session Laws of 1897, at 1956 (Vol. 2, 1897)
(1881)
Prohibited exhibiting a dangerous weapon in a manner likely to cause terror. Punishable by fine up to $25.
2 Ballinger’s Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington 1956 (1897)
(1881)
§ 7082: Prohibited exhibiting a dangerous weapon in a manner likely to cause terror. Punishable by fine up to $25.
1786 Va. Acts 35
(1786)
Ch. 49, An Act Forbidding and Punishing Affrays: "Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man, great nor small, of what condition soever he be, except the Ministers of Justice in executing the precepts of the Courts of Justice, or in executing of their office, and such as be in their company assisting them, be so hardy to come before the justices of any court, or either of their Ministers of Justice, doing their office, with force and arms, on pain, to forfeit their armour to the Commonwealth, and their bodies to prison, at the pleasure of a Court; nor go nor ride armed by night nor by day, in fair or markets, or in other places, in terror of the county, upon pain of being arrested and committed to prison by any Justice on his own view, or proof by others, there to abide for so long a time as a jury, to be sworn for that purpose by the said Justice, shall direct, and in like manner to forfeit his armour to the Commonwealth; but no person shall be imprisoned for such offence by a longer space of time than one month."
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.
1794 Va. Acts 33
(1786)
Ch. 21: Prohibited any man from being armed at fairs or markets "in terror of the country."
The Penal Laws of the Hawaiian Islands 251 (1897)
(1896)
Ch. 54: Prohibited the carry of any Bowie-knife, sword-cane, pistol, air-gun, slung-shot, or other deadly weapon if not authorized by law. Violators fined no less than ten but no more than thirty dollars and imprisonment in hard labor camps no less than fifteen days but not exceeding two months. Note: Hawaii did not become US territory until 1898.
1909 Tex. Spec. Laws 270
(1909)
Ch. 7, § 18: Power to prevent and suppress riots, affrays, noise, breach of the peace, assaults, disturbances or disorderly assembly in any public or private place within the limits of said city, and to provide punishment therefor; to prohibit and restrain the firing of guns, and pistols in the city limits, and to prohibit and restrain the carrying of pistols.
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 thereafter
1870 S.C. Acts 403
(1870)
No. 288, §4: Granted "Trial Justices" the authority to arrest all "affrayers, rioters, disturbers and breakers of the peace, and all who go armed offensively to the terror of the people." Including those who make threatening speeches, dangerous person, and disorderly persons.
1851 Pa. Laws 382, No. 239, § 4.
(1851)
That any person who shall willfully and maliciously carry any pistol, gun, dirk knife, slung shot, or deadly weapon in said borough of York, shall be deemed guilty of a felony
Francois X. Martin, A Collection of Statutes of the Parliament of England in Force in the State of North Carolina 60-61 (1792)
(1792)
Restatement of the Statute of Northampton, prohibiting going armed with force and arms in affray of peace, nor to go nore ride armed by night nor by day in fairs, markets, nor "in the presence of the King's Justices.
John Haywood, A Manual of the Laws of North-Carolina, Arranged under Distinct Heads in Alphabetical Order, Oaths and Affirmations 40 (1814)
(1814)
The oath of a Constable, § XXIII: You shall swear that you will well and truly serve the State of North Carolina in the office of a constable, you shall see and cause the peace of the State to be well and duly preserved and kept according to your power, you shall arrest all such persons as in your sight shall right or go armed offensively, or shall commit or make any riot, affray or other breach of the peace; you shall do your best endeavor, upon complaint to you made, to apprehend all felons, and rioters, or persons riotously assembled; and if any such offender shall make resistance with force, you shall make hue and cry, and shall pursue them according to law
Acts and Laws of His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire in New England 1-2 (1761)
(1759)
And every justice of the peace within this province, may cause to be stayed and arrested, all affrayers, rioters, disturbers or breakers of the peace, or any other who shall go armed offensively, or put his Majesty's subjects in fear, by menaces or threatening speeches
1702 N.H. Laws ch. 7: An Act for the Punishment of Criminall Offenders, in 1 Laws of New Hampshire: Province Period 679 (1904)
(1702)
Prohibited riding or going armed offensively to cause fear or affray of the people.
1836 Mass. Rev. Stat. 750, ch. 134, § 16
(1835)
Prohibited the carry of a dirk, dagger, sword, pistol, or other offensive and dangerous weapon without reasonable cause to fear assault, injury, or violence to oneself, their family, or property. Violators required to post a surety not exceeding six months.
1836 Mass. Rev. Stat. 529, ch. 85, §24
(1794)
Granted justices of the peace to punish, by fine of ten dollars, all assaults, batteries, and other breaches of the peace unless of a "high and aggravated nature." Including all who go armed offensively to the terror of the people, such as menaces and threatening speeches.
1795 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 2, § 2; 1795 Mass. Acts 436
(1795)
Commanded justices of the peace to arrest "all affrayers, ruiters, disturbers, or breakers of the peace, and such as shall ride or go armed offensively, to the fear or terror of the good citiens of this Commonwealth."
1749-51 Mass. Acts 339
(1751)
An Act for Preventing and Suppressing of Riots, Routs and Unlawful Assemblies, ch. 12: If any Persons to the Number of Twelve or more, being Arm'd with Clubs or other Weapons, or if any Number of Persons consisting of Fifty or upwards, whether armed or not, shall be unlawfully riotously or tumultuously assembled; any Justice of the Peace, Field-Officer or Captain of the Militia, Sheriff of the County or Under-Sheriff, or any Constable of the Town, shall among the Rioters, or as near to them as he can safely come, command Silence while Proclamation is making, and shall openly make Proclamation in these or the like Words,
1692 Mass. Acts 11-12
(1692)
Prohibited riding or going armed offensively to cause fear or affray of the people.
1694 Mass. Acts 12
(1694)
No. 6, An Act for the Punishing of Criminal Offenders: Further it is Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every Justice of the Peace in the County where the Offence is committed , may cause to be staid and arrested all Affrayers, Rioters, Disturbers, or Breakers of the Peace, and such as shall ride or go armed Offensively before any of their Majesties Justices, or other Their Officers or Ministers doing their Office or elsewhere.
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 12, ch. 169, § 16 (1840)
(1821)
Prohibited going armed with any dirk, dagger, sword, pistol, or other offensive and dangerous weapon without reasonable cause to fear assault on oneself, their family, or property. Violators required to give sureties not exceeding one year.
1821 Me. Laws 352-53
(1821)
ch. 76, § 1 (1821): to cause to be staid and arrested, all affrayers, rioters, disturbers or breakers of the peace, and such as shall ride or go armed offensively, to the fear or terror of the good citizens of this State, or such others as may utter any menaces or threatening speeches;
1882 N.M. Laws 313
(1882)
Ch. 61, Deadly Weapons. Act of 1869, Ch. 32, § 4: Any person who shall draw a deadly weapon on another, or who shall handle a deadly weapon in a threatening manner at or towards another, in any part of this Territory, except in the lawful defense of himself, his family, or his property, or by order of legal authority, upon conviction thereof before the proper tribunal, shall, for each offense, be fined in a sum not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than seventy-five dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not less than twenty days or more than sixty days, or be punished by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the jury trying the case. § 5. Any person who shall draw or use any deadly weapon in any ball, dance, or other public gathering of the people, or near where any election authorized by law is being held in any part of the Territory, except it be in the lawful defense of himself, his family, or his property, or in obedience to legal authority, shall, upon conviction before the proper tribunal, be punished by a fine not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each offense, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not less than one month nor more than three months for each offense, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the jury trying the cause.

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