Reaffirms “ban on carrying guns by domestic violence defendants.”
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law banning the carrying of guns by domestic violence defendants, potentially limiting the reach of its landmark gun rights ruling last year.
The court ruled in favor of the Biden administration’s position upholding the law, one of several federal gun restrictions currently facing legal challenges.
The ruling, in favor of the federal law banning the carrying of guns by domestic violence defendants, argues that some long-standing gun laws survive despite the court’s 2022 decision that expanded gun ownership rights.
The law banning the carrying of guns by domestic violence defendants would reduce the incidence of gender-based homicides in many parts of the United States.
At that time, it was determined for the first time that there is a right to bear arms outside the home under the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
Supreme Court reaffirms “ban on carrying guns by domestic violence defendants.”
This Supreme Court decision will affect how courts handle challenges to those other federal restrictions, as well as similar state laws, an issue that was clearly on the justices’ minds.
On behalf of the majority of the justices, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that since the founding of the United States, “our nation’s gun laws have included provisions that prevent the misuse of firearms by persons who threaten physical harm to others.”
The provision at issue in the case “fits comfortably within this tradition,” he added.
The particularly eye-catching case arose because of the prominence of Zackey Rahimi, implicated in several shootings and charged with domestic violence.
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The controversial case gained the attention of gun rights organizations such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Second Amendment Foundation and the Phyllis Schlafly Eagles.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion, which was supported by an 8-1 majority, with Justice Clarence Thomas filing the sole dissent.
The rule in question has blocked about 77,800 firearms sales over the past 25 years, according to Shira Feldman, director of constitutional litigation for the gun violence prevention group Brady.
