Getting your record expunged is probably a good idea and probably what I need to do.
Back in late August I submitted my application for my handgun carry permit and in a letter dated November 4th I received a letter stating that my permit could not be issued because of an arrest on my record from 1991 - the letter said that I needed to obtain certified documents from the court showing the disposition of the charge.
I won't go into a lot of detail about the charge but it happened while I was living in Ohio and it really should have never been filed in the first place but that's neither here nor there…in the end, the charges were dismissed (even the court's website shows this by the way but of course I still had to obtain "certified documents".
It took me a while to obtain (what I hope will be) the required documents and I submitted them about two weeks ago so I'm hopeful that will allow my permit to be issued soon...my HCP app was at the 70 day mark as of the date of their November 4th letter and at the 98th day when they received the documents from the court so I don't know where that leaves them/me with respect to the "90 day rule".
That's not where the story ends, however...
Last Saturday, I purchased a new handgun from a local dealer that I intend to be my carry weapon (assuming my permit is issued) and frankly, whether it's issued or not, I had intended to buy it anyway. My background check went through with no problem at all. Then, the following Monday (just two days later) I was going to purchase another gun from the same dealer BUT TBI denied my purchase (after having just approved one two days earlier)!
Of course I don't know at the moment, since I've absolutely nothing else on my record and have never been in trouble with the law (with the exception of a few speeding tickets) I can only assume that this "arrest" from 1991 is the problem just as it was with my application for a carry permit. On Tuesday, I faxed in my appeal of the denial and I assume all I can do right now is wait but this is beyond infuriating.
What seems truly odd to me is that I've purchased many handguns and shotguns since 1991 both while I still lived in Ohio and since I've lived it Tennessee…I've gone through any number of background checks with no problem.