The CaliforniaCCW.org Files Archive

Welcome to the files archive. This includes flyers, form letters and other files related to CCW in California. You can use these files yourself, you can print and distribute them, you can translate them into your language and give them back to us and we'll post them here. All the files in this archive are in the Public Domain, and have no copyright.

All of the files in this archive are available in OpenOffice format. We are using OpenOffice because OpenOffice is free. We want this content to be accessible to everyone, including those who do not have expensive office software. OpenOffice is easy to install. You can download the OpenOffice software for free from here. It is legal and free to distribute OpenOffice to anyone else. OpenOffice has localization in dozens of languages, so native speakers of every major language in California can use it.

40% of Californians are native speakers of a language other than English. The major non-English languages in California are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Armenian, Japanese, Persian, German, French and Russian. Eventually all the files in this archive will be available in all eleven of those languages. If you are literate in any of those eleven languages, please help us by translating these files.

Two-sided basic CCW flyer, one side in English, one side in Spanish, with graphics

This is the basic intro flyer. It's a one-page flyer which introduces the basic facts: "You can get a permit to carry a gun in California. This permit is issued by your sheriff or your police chief. This permit does not give you law enforcement powers, and carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. You need to be informed about the law and the process before you begin. Come to CaliforniaCCW.org to learn more." Print this flyer if you have a double-sided printer. One side will be in English, the other in Spanish. This flyer includes a bold graphic image and is the most eye-catching. If you only want to print on one side, don't print the Spanish page.

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One-page CCW flyer, English

This is the basic intro flyer. It's a one-page flyer which introduces the basic facts: "You can get a permit to carry a gun in California. This permit is issued by your sheriff or your police chief. This permit does not give you law enforcement powers, and carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. You need to be informed about the law and the process before you begin. Come to CaliforniaCCW.org to learn more."

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Los hechos acerca del tener una arma de fuego ocultada en California (one-page flyer, Spanish)

This is the basic intro flyer. It's a one-page flyer which introduces the basic facts: "You can get a permit to carry a gun in California. This permit is issued by your sheriff or your police chief. This permit does not give you law enforcement powers, and carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. You need to be informed about the law and the process before you begin. Come to CaliforniaCCW.org to learn more."

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One-page two-sided basic CCW flyer, one side in English, one side in Spanish

This is the basic intro flyer. It's a one-page flyer which introduces the basic facts: "You can get a permit to carry a gun in California. This permit is issued by your sheriff or your police chief. This permit does not give you law enforcement powers, and carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. You need to be informed about the law and the process before you begin. Come to CaliforniaCCW.org to learn more." Print this flyer if you have a double-sided printer. One side will be in English, the other in Spanish.

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California penal code 12050, dealing with CCW, with commentary

This is the section of California's penal code that deals with CCW licenses and the issuance process, with helpful plain-English commentary by Bill in SD. Thanks Bill!

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Guillory v. County of Orange, 731 F.2d 1379 (9th Cir. 04/25/1984)

This is one of the most important cases for California CCW applicants. It is often refered to as "Guillory v. Gates", because Gates was the sheriff at the time. We will be writing a summary, notes and plain English explanation of the case in the next few weeks.

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CBS Inc. v. Block, 42 Cal. 3d 646, 725 P.2d 470, 230 Cal. Rptr. 362 (Cal. 10/09/1986)

This is one of the most important cases for California CCW applicants and the Public Records Act (PRA). We will be writing a summary, notes and plain English explanation of the case in the next few weeks.

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Salute v. Pitchess, 61 Cal. App. 3d 557, 132 Cal. Rptr. 345 (Cal.App.Dist.2 08/26/1976)

We will be writing a summary, notes and plain English explanation of the case in the next few weeks.

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Gifford v. City of Los Angeles, 88 Cal.App.4th 801, 106 Cal.Rptr.2d 164 (Cal.App. Dist.2 04/03/2001)

This is what you do NOT want to happen if you litigate. Learn from these mistakes and don't follow this strategy. Mr. Gifford spent years in court and untold dollars in legal fees and ended up with no permit and no punitive damages. Never settle for just a permit; that does not punish the entity. Always start with the right legal strategy. We will add comentary to help you find the most important sections quickly.

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Article from the San Francisco Chronicle, July 15th, 1923

This article describes the origins of California's current CCW law. According to the article, our current CCW exists to prevent Chinese and Latinos from being armed.

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The official California Department of Justice CCW application form, in PDF format

This is the official CCW form from the Department of Justice. Use this form so you won't have to fill out the application by hand. Verify that the application from your county is identical to this form before you use this PDF; some counties may have changed it (although that is probably not legal). Note that I have put this form at the very bottom of this page for a reason: you need to be well-informed about the laws and the cases before you start the process. I got this form from Jim March's website.

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