Supreme Court Will Hear Landmark Gun Case

Related Newser Stories

• DC Still Defying Court on Guns

  Jul 23, 08 2:43 PM CDT
  The District of Columbia is defying the Supreme Court with efforts to preserve the handgun ban deemed unconstitutional last month, Jacob Sullum writes in Reason. A new law changes the wording of the controversial “disassemble and trigger-lock” provision, meaning owners won’t be allowed to keep guns loaded and must wait for a “reasonably perceived threat”—a complication that could prove fatal to a homeowner under attack, Sullum notes. More »

• Gun Ruling Will Trigger Barrage of Lawsuits

  Jun 26, 08 6:45 PM CDT
  Today's Supreme Court ruling upholding an individual's right to bear arms is unlikely to lead to sweeping changes across the nation, the New York Times reports. Gun laws in most cites and states—putting restrictions on felons and the mentally ill, for example, or banning guns in certain settings—appear to be safe. The biggest impact will be in cities with the most restrictive laws—DC, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Detroit—where a wave of legal challenges no doubt awaits. More »

• Gun Ruling a Sea Change for 2nd Amendment

  Jun 26, 08 2:28 PM CDT
  The Supreme Court’s decision today striking down Washington's handgun ban represented a change in interpreting the Second Amendment. The court’s 5-4 vote split down partisan lines, the Post reports, with Justices Scalia, Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, and Alito in opposition to Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer. "The enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table," Scalia wrote. More »

• Supremes Appear Set to KO DC's Handgun Ban

  Mar 18, 08 2:21 PM CDT
  The Supreme Court looks ready to declare Washington, DC’s handgun ban unconstitutional, the LA Times report. The justices heard oral arguments in the landmark Second Amendment case today, and swing voter Anthony Kennedy said, “In my view, there is a general right to bear arms.” At issue is whether the provision applies only to state militias or if it protects an individual right to own weapons. More »

• Court Hears Gun Case Today

  Mar 18, 08 9:08 AM CDT
  One of the oldest and most hotly debated constitutional amendments—the right to bear arms—comes under scrutiny by the Supreme Court today. The court will hear arguments on the constitutionality of Washington DC's stringent ban on handguns. The ruling, which will arrive in June, is sure to have a major impact on the national debate over firearms, USA Today notes. More »