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The U.S. Supreme Court made a significant decision on Wednesday by rejecting an emergency request to halt the enforcement of bans on the sales of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. This ruling comes as legal challenges surrounding these bans continue to unfold in lower courts.
According to SCOTUSblog, there were no dissents noted in the Supreme Court’s order issued on May 17. The decision carries weight as it denies the request to block the bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, with major news outlets such as Law360, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, and the Washington Post all providing coverage on the matter.
The legal battle revolves around two specific laws. The first is an ordinance enacted in August 2022 by Naperville, a suburb of Chicago in Illinois, which prohibits the commercial sale of assault rifles. The second law, passed by the state of Illinois in January, bans the sale and purchase of both assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Challenging these laws in a federal lawsuit is a gun shop owner from Naperville, Illinois, along with the National Association for Gun Rights. However, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago had previously declined to temporarily halt the enforcement of these laws during the ongoing Second Amendment litigation.
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Another legal action is currently pending before the Illinois Supreme Court, filed by a state legislator. This separate suit alleges that the sales bans infringe upon the Second Amendment and violate the Illinois Constitution.
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Arguments presented by lawyers representing Naperville, Illinois, and the state of Illinois emphasized the significant threshold challengers face when attempting to block laws already allowed to take effect by lower courts, as reported by SCOTUSblog. Naperville, Illinois, further contended that the right to sell firearms, as opposed to merely possessing them, does not enjoy protection under the Second Amendment.
With this latest Supreme Court ruling, the bans on the sales of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines will remain in place as legal battles continue in lower courts. This decision carries implications for gun owners, firearm retailers, and advocates on both sides of the ongoing debate surrounding gun control and Second Amendment rights. The outcome of these legal challenges will play a crucial role in shaping future regulations and the interpretation of constitutional protections related to firearms.
