Appellate Court Protects Florida Gun Owners From Prying Doctors and Gun Control Lobbyist

How often does the answer to the question, “Do you own a firearm?” make a difference when you visit your doctor because of a sore throat? I’m willing to bet that “never” is the reply that comes to mind for most people. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals apparently shares this opinion as shown by its ruling upholding a law signed by Florida governor, Rick Scott, which prohibits doctors in Florida from asking patients whether they own guns.

medical-doctor-1314902-m.jpgIn response to the bill signed by Gov. Scott and backed by the National Rifle Association, several individuals and groups from the anti-gun community, such as the Florida chapters of the American Academies of Pediatrics and American College of Physicians, filed a lawsuit against the State of Florida. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, “the Act simply acknowledges that the practice of good medicine does not require interrogation about irrelevant, private matters.”

The 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution reads in part, “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Institute for Legislative Action Director, Chris Cox, welcomed the court’s ruling and described the ruling as “common sense”. Cox went on to say that whether a patient exercises his or her constitutional right to own a gun is none of a doctor’s business.

As a criminal lawyer is Jacksonville, I’ve represented many clients in cases where guns are involved. Not all of these clients are the people that come to mind when you think of perpetrators of gun crimes. Some are simple retail employees, young professionals, or landscapers who lawfully owned guns and that had no prior encounters with law enforcement. Some encounters with police start out as simple questions regarding matters that are none of the officer’s business just as much as it’s not a doctor’s business whether a patient owns a gun or a firearm.

If you or a loved one are searching for lawyers in Jacksonville or the counties surrounding Duval, call the Law Office of David M. Goldman PLLC at (904) 685-1200 to schedule a free consultation with our experienced gun crime lawyers and criminal defense lawyers in our Jacksonville office or our Beaches office, because knowledge and passion make a world of difference. Let an experienced Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer come to your aid.

Contact Information