The Supreme Court recently upheld a longstanding gun restriction in Washington, D.C., which prohibits magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. This decision came as the court, despite having a conservative majority generally supportive of gun rights, chose to avoid further engagement in gun rights cases. The court also upheld Maryland’s ban on assault-style weapons, including the AR-15.
In 2022, the court expanded gun rights by affirming that the Second Amendment right to bear arms extends beyond the home. However, since then, the court has refrained from addressing additional cases that could build on this ruling. D.C. has been a pivotal location for gun legislation challenges, notably highlighted by the 2008 landmark ruling affirming individuals’ rights to bear arms for self-defense in their homes.
In the recent case, four gun owners challenged the D.C. magazine restriction, arguing it was unlawful under the 2022 decision. However, both a federal judge and the D.C. Circuit Court upheld the law, with the appellate court stating that large-capacity magazines can be regulated as “particularly dangerous” despite being classified as arms under the Second Amendment.
In addition to the gun-related rulings, the Supreme Court also decided against hearing a significant election case regarding mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, which would have challenged a ruling that allowed voters to submit in-person replacements for defective mail-in ballots. This decision keeps the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling intact, thus preserving the existing mail-in voting process amidst ongoing Republican and Democratic disputes.
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