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September 5, 2008 11:28:15 PM CDT

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Supreme Court Will Hear Landmark Gun Case

Posted Nov 20, 07 1:17 PM CST in Arts & Living,  US 

(Newser) – The Supreme Court agreed today to hear its first case on the meaning of the Second Amendment in 68 years. At question is the scope of the “right to bear arms”: A circuit court ruled last year that it applied to individuals' guns, but the city of Washington argued it guaranteed only a collective right for groups such as the National Guard, SCOTUSblog reports.

In taking up the city's appeal, the court specified it would tackle the DC handgun ban’s deepest questions. The Supremes will address whether the 31-year-old law violates the “rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use.”

Source SCOTUSblog

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Justices Stephen Breyer, John Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy.   (Getty Images)
District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty, right, greets members of the police force during a new conference in Washington on Monday, July 16, 2007. Fenty announced that the District of Columbia will petition...   (Associated Press)
University of Washington sophomore Alayna Riggi poses for a picture after getting a shooting lesson at Wade's Eastside Gun Shop in Bellevue, Wash., from Dave Workman of the Second Amendment Foundation.   (KRT Photos)
Shootings at Virginia Tech raised questions about gun laws.   (Getty Images)
The Supreme Court will hear an important Second Amendment case.   (Getty Images)
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US Supreme Court  • gun  • Washington DC  • Second Amendment  • ban  • Constitution  • National Guard  • constitutional law  • gun ban  • handgun


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