CHEYENNE - A federal appeals court in Denver has ruled that a Wyoming state law that seeks to allow people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence to regain their gun rights fails to meet federal requirements.

A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that the procedure spelled out in Wyoming law actually fails to expunge the criminal record of people convicted of domestic violence.

The ruling is a victory for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The federal agency had informed Wyoming that if it persisted in using the state law, the federal government would no longer accept Wyoming concealed weapons permits as a substitute for instant background checks for gun purchases.