2026 Minnesota Statutes

609.2242 DOMESTIC ASSAULT.

Subdivision 1.Misdemeanor.

Whoever does any of the following against a family or household member as defined in section 518B.01, subdivision 2, commits an assault and is guilty of a misdemeanor:

(1) commits an act with intent to cause fear in another of immediate bodily harm or death; or

(2) intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm upon another.

Subd. 2.Gross misdemeanor.

Whoever violates subdivision 1 within ten years of a previous qualified domestic violence-related offense conviction or an adjudication of delinquency is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.

Subd. 3.Domestic assaults; firearms.

(a) When a person is convicted of a violation of this section or section 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.224, or 609.2247, the court shall determine and make written findings on the record as to whether:

(1) the assault was committed against a family or household member, as defined in section 518B.01, subdivision 2;

(2) the defendant owns or possesses a firearm; and

(3) the firearm was used in any way during the commission of the assault.

(b) If the court determines that the assault was of a family or household member, and that the offender owns or possesses a firearm and used it in any way during the commission of the assault, it shall order that the firearm and all other firearms possessed by the person be summarily forfeited under section 609.5316, subdivision 3.

(c) When a person is convicted of assaulting a family or household member and is determined by the court to have used a firearm in any way during commission of the assault, the court may order that the person is prohibited from possessing any type of firearm for any period longer than three years or for the remainder of the person's life. A person who violates this paragraph is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. At the time of the conviction, the court shall inform the defendant for how long the defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and that it is a gross misdemeanor to violate this paragraph. The failure of the court to provide this information to a defendant does not affect the applicability of the firearm possession prohibition or the gross misdemeanor penalty to that defendant.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), when a person is convicted of a violation of this section or section 609.224 and the court determines that the victim was a family or household member, the court shall inform the defendant that the defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm for three years from the date of conviction and that it is a gross misdemeanor offense to violate this prohibition. The failure of the court to provide this information to a defendant does not affect the applicability of the firearm possession prohibition or the gross misdemeanor penalty to that defendant.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), a person is not entitled to possess firearms if the person has been convicted after August 1, 1992, or if a person has been convicted on or after August 1, 2014, of domestic assault under this section or assault in the fifth degree under section 609.224 and the assault victim was a family or household member as defined in section 518B.01, subdivision 2, unless three years have elapsed from the date of conviction and, during that time, the person has not been convicted of any other violation of this section or section 609.224. Property rights may not be abated but access may be restricted by the courts. A person who possesses a firearm in violation of this paragraph is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

(f) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (g), when a person is convicted of a violation of this section or section 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.224, or 609.2247 and the court determines that the assault was against a family or household member, the court shall order the defendant to transfer any firearms that the person possesses as provided for in section 518B.03 and direct the person to surrender all permits to carry and purchase firearms to the court. If the court does not take immediate possession of a defendant's permit to carry or permit to purchase, the defendant must surrender the permit to the chief law enforcement officer who issued the permit as required under sections 624.714, subdivision 8, and 624.7131, subdivision 7. If the defendant surrenders their permits to the chief law enforcement officer, the person must declare that in the proof of transfer or declaration of nonpossession required under section 518B.03, subdivision 3.

(g) When a person is convicted of a violation of this section or section 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.224, or 609.2247, and the court determines that the assault was against a family or household member, the court shall determine by a preponderance of the evidence if the person poses an imminent risk of causing another person substantial bodily harm. Upon a finding of imminent risk, the court shall order that the local law enforcement agency take immediate possession of all firearms in the person's possession.

Subd. 4.Felony.

Whoever violates the provisions of this section or section 609.224, subdivision 1, within ten years of the first of any combination of two or more previous qualified domestic violence-related offense convictions or adjudications of delinquency is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

History:

1995 c 259 art 3 s 15; 2000 c 437 s 8,9; 1Sp2001 c 8 art 10 s 10,11; 2005 c 136 art 17 s 12; 2006 c 260 art 1 s 18,19; 2013 c 47 s 3; 2014 c 213 s 3; 2023 c 52 art 6 s 16; 2026 c 75 s 7