Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 12, 2008 4:06:30 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Gun Ruling Will Trigger Barrage of Lawsuits

Posted Jun 26, 08 6:45 PM CDT in Opinion,  Crime & Courts,  US 

(Newser) – 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.

“There is likely to be quite a flood of litigation to try to flesh out precisely what regulations are to be permitted and which ones are not,” said one of today's winning lawyers. Justice Scalia said "dangerous and unusual" weapons can be restricted, but the court did not define what that meant. As a result, expect lawsuits over assault weapons and semiautomatics.

Source New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • DC Still Defying Court on Guns

    Jul 23, 08 2:43 PM CDT
    DC Still Defying Court on Guns 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 »

  • Candidates Duel Over Gun Ruling

    Jun 26, 08 4:17 PM CDT
    Candidates Duel Over Gun Ruling Barack Obama and John McCain were firing away even before the Supreme Court's Second Amendment salvo today, Talking Points Memo notes. The Democrat backed away from a year-old comment (by an aide) that he thought Washington’s handgun ban was constitutional; the Republican smacked his opponent for flip-flopping—even using a reference to Obama's much-publicized remarks about "bitter" Americans and guns. More »

  • Gun Ruling a Sea Change for 2nd Amendment

    Jun 26, 08 2:28 PM CDT
    Gun Ruling a Sea Change for 2nd Amendment 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 »

  • Court Readies Term's Testiest Decisions

    Jun 9, 08 8:49 AM CDT
    Court Readies Term's Testiest Decisions The Supreme Court is poised to begin unveiling decisions today in some of the year's most heated cases, reports USA Today. As the term winds down, the 26 final opinions will be released on select days in June, and include clashes over Guantanamo detainees, DC's handgun ban, and the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. More »

  • Supremes Appear Set to KO DC's Handgun Ban

    Mar 18, 08 2:21 PM CDT
    Supremes Appear Set to KO DC's Handgun Ban 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 »

Two .45 caliber handguns rest on a counter at Harry's Army Navy in Yardville, N.J., Thursday, June 26, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
A handgun is displayed at Colosimo's Gun Center in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 26, 2008.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Handguns are on display at B & J Guns in Colonie, N.Y., Thursday, June 26, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
The barrel of a handgun is seen at Colosimo's Gun Center in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 26, 2008.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

US Supreme Court  • Washington DC  • gun  • Antonin Scalia  • Second Amendment  • John Paul Stevens  • self defense


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »