red flag

In the United States, a red flag law is a gun control law that permits police or family members to petition a state court to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves. A judge makes the determination to issue the order based on statements and actions made by the gun owner in question. Refusal to comply with the order is punishable as a criminal offense. After a set time, the guns are returned to the person from whom they were seized unless another court hearing extends the period of confiscation.Such orders are known by various names, including "Extreme Risk Protection Orders" (ERPO) (in Oregon, Washington, Maryland, and Vermont); "Risk Protection Orders" (in Florida); "Gun Violence Restraining Orders" (in California); "risk warrants" (in Connecticut); and "Proceedings for the Seizure and Retention of a Firearm" (in Indiana). As of August 2019, 17 states and the District of Columbia have passed some form of red-flag law. The specifics of the laws, and the degree to which they are enforced, vary from state to state.

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