The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson is proud to share another victory in a License to Carry suspension appeal for a client whose LTC was suspended based on allegations that didn’t hold up under scrutiny. After a hard-fought appeal hearing, the court ordered the license reinstated.
What Happened
Our client’s LTC was suspended by the local licensing authority based on an unsupported criminal allegation. Charges were filed, then later dismissed for lack of evidence. But the license stayed suspended, until we took the case to court.
We Fought at Every Turn
From the moment we took this case, we knew the facts were on our side. Our strategy was simple: challenge everything, hold the police to their burden of proof, and make sure the court heard the truth.
We challenged the reliability of the evidence. The licensing authority relied heavily on statements made under questionable circumstances. We presented testimony showing those statements weren’t reliable. The court agreed, especially when those same statements were contradicted by sworn testimony by a witness we brought to the hearing.
We held them to the rules. When the licensing authority tried to introduce reasons for the suspension that weren’t in their original notice, we objected. You can’t suspend someone’s constitutional rights based on vague concerns you never bothered to put in writing. The court sustained our objection, and wrote into the final order that notice requirements actually matter.
We put on our case. We presented live witnesses who testified under oath about what really happened. The court got to see and hear the truth firsthand, not filtered through a police report put into evidence by someone who wasn’t even there.
We made them prove it. Massachusetts law says licensing authorities need “reliable, articulable and credible information” to suspend a license. We made them prove they had it. They couldn’t.
A Judge Who Got It Right
At the end of the day, this case came down to a judge who was willing to look at the facts objectively. You don’t always get that luck. Sometimes judges can give too much deference to licensing authorities, even when the evidence is weak. This judge didn’t rubber-stamp the police department’s decision; he actually weighed the evidence.
The court found that the evidence supporting the suspension was not sufficient. Uncorroborated hearsay from someone who later recanted, made under circumstances that undermined credibility, wasn’t enough. Not when our client testified under oath. Not when the criminal charges were dismissed. Not when there was a history of responsible firearm ownership.
The judge did what judges are supposed to do: follow the law and make a decision based on facts, not assumptions.
Why This Matters
A lot of people think that once the police suspend your LTC, you’re done. That fighting back is pointless because the deck is stacked against you. This case demonstrates that the rule is not always true.
Yes, you’re going up against your local police department. Yes, courts often defer to licensing authorities. But when you have the facts on your side, and you’re willing to fight at every stage of the process, you can win.
The key is not rolling over. It’s:
Challenging weak evidence instead of accepting it at face value
Holding the licensing authority to their legal obligations
Presenting your side of the story with real evidence and live testimony
Making them prove their case instead of letting them skate by on vague allegations
If You're Facing a Suspension
Don’t accept it without a fight. Most LTC suspensions we see are based on allegations that wouldn’t survive scrutiny in court. But you have to be willing to take it to court.
If you’re in this situation:
Act fast—you have a short window to file an appeal
Get a defense lawyer who will fight—not one who’s afraid to challenge the police
Tell your story—the court needs to hear from you, not just read a police report
Trust the process—when you have the facts on your side, a fair-minded judge will do the right thing
We’ve won these cases before, and we’ll keep winning them. Because at the end of the day, the Constitution still means something, and there are still judges willing to enforce it.
Every case is different. This post describes general principles, not legal advice. If your license has been suspended or denied, contact us to discuss your specific situation.
