Supreme Court Upholds D.C. Gun Restrictions, Sidesteps Broader Gun Rights Cases
WASHINGTON — In a significant ruling on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court maintained a longstanding restriction in Washington, D.C., that bans magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. This decision continues the court’s trend of refraining from engaging in new gun rights cases despite its conservative majority, which typically leans towards expanding gun rights.
Just days prior, the court dismissed an appeal related to a similar magazine capacity law in Rhode Island and also upheld Maryland’s ban on assault-style weapons, which includes the popular AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.
The Supreme Court’s notable 2022 ruling had previously established that the Second Amendment right to bear arms extends beyond the home, yet since then, the court has avoided cases that could further elaborate on this ruling, frustrating gun rights advocates.
The District of Columbia has long served as a focal point for legal debates on gun regulations, especially since the landmark 2008 Supreme Court decision affirming individuals’ rights to possess firearms for self-defense in their homes, which spurred various local laws. The recent case involved four gun owners contesting the large-capacity magazine ban instituted after the 2008 ruling, claiming it contradicted the principles set forth in the 2022 decision. However, both a federal judge and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the law, suggesting that while large-capacity magazines are indeed firearms, they can be regulated due to their potential danger.
In unrelated actions, the court opted not to review a significant election case concerning mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, thereby affirming a ruling that allows voters with defective mail-in ballots to submit in-person provisions. This decision reflects ongoing political tensions between state parties ahead of the upcoming 2024 elections.
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