Second Amendment

2nd Circuit sticks to its guns on constitutionality of concealed-carry law after SCOTUS remand

New York residents can’t carry handguns in sensitive locations and must show evidence of good moral character when applying for a concealed-carry license.

Oct 28, 2024 2:07 PM CDT

Supreme Court orders reconsideration of appellate decision on youths carrying guns

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday told a federal appeals court to reconsider its decision that blocked a Pennsylvania ban on youths openly carrying guns during a state of emergency.

Oct 15, 2024 2:46 PM CDT

Supreme Court appears likely to uphold regulation of ghost guns

The Supreme Court seemed poised on Tuesday to uphold a major gun regulation imposed by the Biden administration that requires background checks, serial numbers and sales records for the nearly untraceable firearms known as ghost guns.

Oct 8, 2024 12:42 PM CDT

Supreme Court’s sleepy-looking docket leaves room for potentially bigger cases to come

The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term next week poised on the edge of uncertainty. The biggest case of the term may be one that isn’t even on the court’s docket yet.

Oct 3, 2024 12:04 PM CDT

States can’t ban guns in banks, hospitals and churches, but property owners can, 9th Circuit says

A federal appeals court on Friday refused to allow two states to ban guns in some locations but limited the impact of its decision when it ruled that property owners can reject firearms.

Sep 12, 2024 9:23 AM CDT

5th Circuit becomes ‘proving ground’ for aggressive arguments by conservatives

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans has become "a proving ground for some of the most aggressive conservative arguments in American law,” according to the New York Times.

Sep 4, 2024 8:59 AM CDT

Switchblades are protected by Second Amendment, top Massachusetts court rules

A Massachusetts law banning the possession of switchblades violates the Second Amendment, the state’s top court ruled Tuesday.

Aug 28, 2024 10:58 AM CDT

8th Circuit decision is setback for ‘constitutional sheriffs’ movement, says gun-safety group

A federal appeals court has ruled for the U.S. Department of Justice in a challenge to a Missouri law that banned state and local officials from helping enforce some federal gun regulations.

Aug 27, 2024 10:17 AM CDT

Federal court upholds Maryland training, background checks for handguns

A federal appeals court has upheld Maryland’s requirement that gun owners first go through firearms training and pass a background check—a ruling issued Friday that crossed ideological lines.

Aug 26, 2024 1:27 PM CDT

Assault weapons that are ‘disproportionate to the need for self-defense’ can be banned, 4th Circuit says

An en banc federal appeals court upheld Maryland’s ban on assault-style weapons in a 10-5 decision Tuesday.

Aug 7, 2024 12:14 PM CDT

Minnesota’s age restriction to carry handguns is unconstitutional, 8th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Minnesota’s ban preventing residents ages 18 to 20 from carrying handguns in public is unconstitutional, upholding a district-court decision that said the Second Amendment right to bear arms should apply to all adults in the state.

Jul 17, 2024 8:36 AM CDT

SCOTUS upended gun laws nationwide; mass confusion has followed

On both sides of the gun-control debate, people say this term’s Rahimi ruling will do little to ease the confusion and disruption unleashed by the high court’s 2022 historical mandate in Bruen.

Jul 11, 2024 8:00 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: SCOTUS term reveals deeply divided justices frustrated with one another

At times, some have referred to the Supreme Court as “nine scorpions in a bottle.” That metaphor seems especially appropriate this year, though I would describe them as “nine angry scorpions in a bottle.” There is a strong sense that it is a deeply divided court. There were a total of 59 opinions, and 23 were 6-3 and another five were 5-4.

Jul 3, 2024 8:44 AM CDT

Gun laws aren’t ‘trapped in amber,’ SCOTUS says while upholding restraining-order gun ban

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law banning gun possession by those who are subject to domestic-violence restraining orders.

Jun 21, 2024 10:03 AM CDT

Supreme Court rules for NRA in First Amendment suit over official’s alleged ‘pressure tactics’

Updated: The First Amendment prevents government officials from using their power to selectively punish or suppress speech that the government disfavors, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a lawsuit by the National Rifle Association.

May 30, 2024 10:46 AM CDT