The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider any new cases seeking to expand gun rights, including two challenges to restrictions on young adults.
The decision does not preclude the court eventually agreeing to consider the next big legal issue in the national debate over guns: whether the right to keep a gun at home for self-defense extends to public places.
In fact, a federal appeals court panel's divided ruling this month in a California case makes it more likely that the question of guns outside the home will be heading to the high court soon.
The petitions denied Monday included challenges to a federal and a state law restricting access to young adults. The federal law blocks those ages 18 to 20 from buying guns from licensed dealers. The Texas law doesn't allow them to carry guns in public, as others can do with a license.
Ever since Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for a divided court in 2008 that the Second Amendment to the Constitution protects the right to possess guns at home, the question of public places has been looming. Many states impose restrictions, such as requiring a demonstrated need to carry a gun, whether concealed or in plain sight. Most lower courts have upheld those restrictions.
The second half of gun rights is soon to be endorsed by the Supreme Court. You might as well give up now.
ReplyDelete"Many states impose restrictions, such as requiring a demonstrated need to carry a gun, whether concealed or in plain sight."
ReplyDelete"The following are "may-issue" states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_issue#May-issue
Though with the recent 9th Circuit ruling, we can likely take California and Hawaii of that list.