Who may join?
What does it cost to join the Network?
What does my $85 membership fee buy me?
How can I contact the Network?
Does the Network have a lifetime membership, family rates, or other discount plans for membership
How does the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC differ from the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation?
Do I have to be a graduate of a prominent training organization to qualify for Network membership?
Who establishes the direction the takes?
What risk is there that Network funds may be used to defend someone who is not innocent?
I am currently embroiled in a lawsuit stemming from an assault against me. Will the Network help me if I join?
What happens to my Network membership if I lose my license to carry a concealed handgun?
Where is the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC located?
Is Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network a gun rights lobbying organization?
What events does the Network host?
What is the relationship between the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC and The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc.?
What the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC doesn't do.
Can I access the Network’s attorney or expert witness referral list without joining the Network?
Can I use my Discover or Am Ex card to pay for Network membership?
Will the Network bill me when my membership expires? How many times will you bill me before my membership expires?
Can I get my money back if I cancel my membership in the Network?
Can I join the Network if I am not currently living in the United States?
Can I join the Network if I do not have a state-issued license to carry a concealed handgun?
Does my membership in the Network give me some sort of insurance or prepaid legal fees?
Who may join?
The Network is comprised of armed citizens who can show proof of a background free of any criminal history. This is done by submitting a photocopy, digital image or scanned copy of their state-issued license to carry a concealed handgun at time of application for membership.
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What does it cost to join the Network?
Yearly Network dues are $85, a fraction of an attorney’s hourly fee! Our goal is to bring together large numbers of armed citizens to support the efforts of the Network and of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation, so that membership dues can be kept at an affordable level, and membership benefits can grow with each year of the Network’s existence. We hope our Network members should thus feel the freedom to exercise their legal right to self-defense, knowing that if their actions face legal scrutiny, they will not have to face that legal threat alone.
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What does my $85 membership fee buy me?
One of the most frequent questions asked by students of self-defense is what to do immediately following a shooting. The answer is “call an attorney.” But most people do not have an attorney in their back pocket. Here, the Network begins its membership services through its affiliated attorneys. In addition, the attorney for a member involved in a self-defense incident can request case review by one of the Network’s experts, paid for by the Network, with findings and advice forwarded to the member’s lawyer.
Other membership benefits include:
-DVDs by major players in the justifiable use of deadly force field sent each new member for their preliminary education.
-Access to the Network’s expert witnesses.
-The right to petition the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation for financial aid in defending a lawsuit.
-Discounts on books and videos sold on the Network’s web site.
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How can I contact the Network?
The Network’s comprehensive web site provides information and answers to your questions 24/7. Please address general questions and comments via email to info@armedcitizensnetwork.org. If you require an immediate response, members are invited to telephone the Network at 1-360-978-5200 Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time.
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Does the Network have a lifetime membership, family rates, or other discount plans for membership dues?
It is the earnest goal of the Network to keep membership dues affordable for all our members, who come from various social and economic strata. Instead of spending our time tracking who deserves which discount, we choose to keep rates as low as possible for all of our members, while collecting enough in dues to fulfill our mission—that of keeping decent, law-abiding men and women out of court after they were forced to defend themselves against criminal attack.
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How does the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC differ from the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation?
For business purposes, the Network is a limited liability company, operated by Marty Hayes, Vincent Shuck and Gila Hayes. The Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization under the rules of the IRS, and exists solely for the purpose of channeling financial assistance to members who need assistance with their legal fees. Massad Ayoob, John Farnam, Tom Givens, Jim Cirillo, Jr., Marty Hayes and Vincent Shuck currently comprise the advisory board of the foundation.
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Do I have to be a graduate of a prominent training organization to qualify for Network membership?
No, but it sure is a good idea! In fact, one of the Network’s best benefits is the class tuition discount offered by many of the trainers who have also joined the Network and share its goals and aspirations. Check here to learn more about which schools offer tuition discounts, and how to take advantage of this excellent benefit.
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Who establishes the direction the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network takes?
The Network was founded and is led by Marty Hayes, J.D., a career police officer, who also led his training organization, The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. to regionally-prominent standing in the Pacific Northwest. In founding the Network, Hayes is joined by Vincent Shuck, recently retired from his position as executive director of a national non-profit organization. Day-to-day-operations of the network is the purview of Gila Hayes, a name you may recognize as author of numerous articles in gun magazines. For more information about each of these Network founders, go to this page.
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What risk is there that Network funds may be used to defend someone who is not innocent?
Network members, by virtue of their membership, are entitled to case review by one of the Network experts and have access to contact information for Network-affiliated attorneys and expert witnesses. For this service, there is no charge beyond your membership fee. Beyond that, distribution of monetary grants to help with legal fees is only at the discretion of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation, a separate, non-profit entity funded by 20% of all Network membership dues plus monies from our Corporate sponsors. Disbursement of Foundation funds is solely at the discretion of the Foundation’s Advisory Board, currently comprised of Massad Ayoob, John Farnam, Tom Givens, Jim Cirillo, Jr., Dennis Tueller and Network officers Marty Hayes and Vincent Shuck as ex officio members.
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I am currently embroiled in a lawsuit stemming from an assault against me. Will the Network help me if I join?
Network benefits are available to members only for incidents occurring during their membership; benefits including case review by Network experts, access to Network affiliated attorneys and experts, as well as the ability to apply for financial assistance from the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Foundation. These are reserved for active members only and do not include pre-existing legal issues.
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What happens to my Network membership if I lose my license to carry a concealed handgun?
If a member should be adjudged guilty of a crime or mental disorder that results in loss of his or her right to own firearms, or has their concealed carry license revoked, the Network will cancel their membership and refund a pro-rated portion of their membership dues.
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Where is the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC located?
The Network exists in cyberspace, but the physical offices are located outside Onalaska, WA, approximately 100 miles south of Seattle, WA and 100 miles north of Portland, OR. Our office hours of operation reflect Pacific Standard time zone hours.
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Is the Network a gun rights lobbying organization?
Certainly the Network shares many concerns with the larger gun rights lobbying groups like the NRA, Gun Owners of America, Second Amendment Foundation and more, but our mission is specific to providing for legal defense needs stemming from self-defense by Network members. Because the larger gun rights lobbying groups are well established, well funded, and performing the mission for which they exist, the Network will not involve itself in legislative concerns, concentrating instead on specific needs of Network members for education, and legal support.
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What events does the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network host?
In 2009, the Network will host its first National training conference. Our inaugural year, 2008, requires complete focus on building Network membership and providing the legal defense services, contact information for Network-affiliated attorneys and legal experts, and Network publications.
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What is the relationship between the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC and The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc.?
The Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC operates completely independently of The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. Network president, Marty Hayes, is also founder and director of The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc., but the two businesses have no financial connection.
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What the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC doesn't do.
While we recognize its critical import, the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC is not a legislative lobbying organization. There are several prominent organizations better funded and equipped to perform that function.
The Network is not a law firm. We do not represent Network members; we bring together qualified member attorneys and expert witnesses so they can work together for the members' benefit.
We are not firearms trainers. The Network enjoys the support of many, many firearms trainers, and it is our mission to encourage Network members to obtain as much training and education as possible from these experts, and negotiate tuition discounts to make that goal more attainable.
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Can I access the Network’s attorney or expert witness referral list without joining the Network?
No. Developing a referral list of reliable, qualified attorneys and experts is part of the job Network membership dues fund. As such, these referral lists are for the exclusive use of Network members.
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Can I use my Discover or Am Ex card to pay for Network membership?
The Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, LLC is set up to process credit card payments from VISA and MasterCard. In addition, we accept personal checks and money orders for payment of Network membership dues.
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Will the Network bill me when my membership expires? How many times will you bill me before my membership expires?
You will receive expiration notification by email 60 days and 30 days prior to membership expiration. Once membership has expired, you will receive one last notification that your benefits are no longer available. These notifications will arrive by email except in cases where members do not have email. Upon expiration, access to the members-only portions of the Network web site is blocked, and other membership benefits are no longer available.
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Can I get my money back if I cancel my membership in the Network?
Membership is for a minimum term of one year. Membership fees are payable upon application for membership and are not refundable once membership has been confirmed and the membership package and training DVDs have been sent to the new member. These policies apply equally to renewal memberships, too.
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How can I change my contact information with the Network in case my email or mailing address changes?
Please go to "Address Change" and fill in the form completely. Hit send. After we have made the changes to your membership information, we will send a confirming e-mail so you know your information has been updated. If, in rare cases, you do not have Internet access or email, we ask that you telephone us at 360-978-5200 to report changes to your contact information.
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Can I join the Network if I am not currently living in the United States?
Prospective members who can show proof of no criminal history by submitting a photocopy of a state-issued license to carry a concealed handgun and are U.S. citizens or otherwise legal to possess firearms in the United States of America are invited to join the Network.
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Can I join the Network if I do not have a state-issued license to carry a concealed handgun?
At this time, we require a copy of a State-issued license to carry a concealed handgun on file at the Network offices before we approve any membership application. We are open minded, however, and are studying other types of background checks that may be acceptable. Please contact us for more information.
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Does my membership in the Network give me some sort of insurance or prepaid legal fees to use if I must defend my actions in court?
No. Network dues give members access to specific benefits (click this link) and are specifically not an insurance program nor are they prepaid legal fees.
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The Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, LLC
Post Office Box 400, Onalaska, WA 98570 360-978-5200 info@armedcitizensnetwork.org
The Network strives to reply promptly to each email. If you email us and do not received an answer within 2-3 days, please check any spam filters, then resend the email or telephone us.
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