Today, we filed a supplemental amicus brief on remand, our fourth amicus brief in this case. Our brief recounted the two-step test overturned by the Supreme Court in Bruen, and put this case in the context of the various cases on remand within the Ninth Circuit since Bruen. It then explained how to apply Bruen to this case. Our brief also reminded the Ninth Circuit of
Morehouse v. ATF — Amended Complaint with 17 States Joining as Plaintiffs
Today, we filed an amended complaint adding 17 States as plaintiffs joining our lawsuit challenging the ATF’s new “frame or receiver” rule.
Morehouse v. ATF — Complaint against “Frame or Receiver” Rule
Today, we filed a challenge to the Biden Administration’s ATF final rule revising the definition of “frame” or “receiver” which was published on April 26, 2022.
Torcivia v. Suffolk County — Amicus Supporting Petition for Certiorari
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to a Second Circuit decision which upheld an illegal search and seizure of firearms in his home by police after Petitioner was taken for a mental health examination. The police now assert that the “special needs exception” to the Fourth Amendment permitted the search and seizure.
Our brief urges the Supreme Court to grant
Yukutake v. Hawaii — Amicus Brief
Today, our firm filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to help defend a decision of the district court of Hawaii striking down two state restrictions on firearms purchase. Hawaii law requires that even after obtaining a permit to purchase a specific handgun, the permit expired after 10 days, and then the firearm must be physically carried to a police station for inspection.
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen — SCOTUS Merits
Today we filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a challenge to the virtual ban on concealed carry in New York State. The brief was filed on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, and the Heller Foundation. We critique the Second Circuit case in Kachalsky v County of Westchester, explain how the New York licensing scheme undermines the prefatory
GOA & GOF Comments Opposing ATF Re-Definition of “Frame or Receiver.”
Today we filed comments with the ATF on behalf of our clients Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation. These comments relate to Docket No. ATF 2021R-05: “Definition of ‘Frame or Received’ and Identification of Firearms.” These Comments explain why ATF has no authority to make these changes in the definition of “frame or receiver” set out in 8 U.S.C. Section 921(a)(3).
Duncan v. Bonta
Today, we filed an amicus brief attacking the constitutionality of a
California ban on standard capacity magazines, which the California law
mislabels as “Large Capacity Magazines.” The District Court and Ninth
Circuit panel both ruled for that the laws were unconstitutional, and
the Ninth Circuit granted rehearing en banc. Our brief defends the
decision
Roberts v. U.S. Justice Department — Brief for Appellants
Today we filed the opening brief in our appeal to the Sixth Circuit in challenge to the ATF changing their policy, and refusing to allow persons with Michigan Concealed Carry Permits to purchase guns without another NICS check.
Wade v. Regents of the University of Michigan
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to the University of Michigan’s infringement on the Second Amendment rights of its students. We explain why the university’s ordinance violates the U.S. Constitution, the Michigan Constitution, and various decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, including District of Columbia v. Heller.
Mai v. United States
Today our firm filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision which allowed a ban on gun possession by a man who had suffered a mental health crisis as a minor, but who had since then been found by the State of Washington not to be a danger to himself or to others. Nevertheless, as the Ninth Circuit has done in every Second Amendment challenge brought before
Caniglia v. Strom
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to a First Circuit decision which upheld an illegal search and seizure of firearms by police after a Petitioner husband and his wife had a non-violent, non-threatening argument. Tired of arguing with his wife, the husband threw down an unloaded handgun and said something like “just shoot me.” The next day the police showed
Rhode v. Becerra
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to a California law which requires background checks for persons seeking to buy ammunition. Our brief explained the history of how the 9th Circuit has employed various legal tests and other techniques to allow certain judges hostile to gun rights to evade application of the Second Amendment, as written.
Rodriguez v. City of San Jose
Today our firm filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review an inexplicable Ninth Circuit decision upholding an illegal search and seizure of firearms by the San Jose Police after her husband had a mental health crisis. Seven years after that seizure, the City of San Jose, California is still refusing to return her firearms to her. Even though Lori Rodriguez is not a disqualified person, more than seven years later, she is still fighting a court battle to recover those firearms, a battle which is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.
VCDL Lobby Day Rally in Richmond, Virginia
Today our firm was represented at VCDL Lobby Day in Richmond by Bill Olson, Jeremiah Morgan, and Robert Olson, left to right below. We were obviously dressed for the occasion, as the temperature climbed slowly from 25 degrees when we hit the streets. Honored to stand for “the right to keep and bear arms” with tens of thousands of peaceful, law-abiding Virginians and others from around the country. There was no place in America which was more safe than in the middle of this well-equipped assembly exercising our right to petition government.
On the far side of the Capitol Grounds, that few saw, were staged numerous emergency vehicles, including this one on which was painted these words: “Mass Casualty/Evacuation Transport Unit.”
Reply to Virginia’s Response in Opposition filed in Virginia Supreme Court on Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO
After we filed our Emergency Petition for Review last night, this morning at about 9:15 am, the Solicitor General of Virginia filed his Response in Opposition. We filed our Reply to that Opposition about 1:00 pm. The Virginia Supreme Court issued an Order denying our Petition for Review about 6:15 pm.
Emergency Petition for Review filed Against Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO
About 6:00 pm this evening, we filed in the Virginia Supreme Court an Emergency Petition for Review asking the Court to enjoin Governor Northam’s Executive Order banning firearms on the grounds of the Virginia Capitol, as unauthorized by law, in violation of law (Virginia Code section 44-146.15) , and unconstitutional. (See next entry.)
Complaint & Application for Temporary Injunction Against Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO
About noon on Wednesday, January 15, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia and issued Executive Order 49, which temporarily bans the possession or carrying of firearms in Richmond on Lobby Day (Monday, January 20). Today, Thursday, January 16, about noon, on behalf of Gun Owners of America and Virginia Citizens Defense League, and three individuals, our firm filed a Complaint and Application in the the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, seeking a temporary injunction against the Governor’s order. In this case, we are working with David G. Browne, Esquire of Spiro and Browne, in Richmond. A hearing was held before Judge Joi Jeter Taylor from 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Judge Taylor issued an Order denying our Application at 4:31 pm. (This led to our filing an Emergency Petition for Review in the Virginia Supreme Court about 6:00 pm (see next entry).
Duncan v. Becerra
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in a challenge to a California law limiting the capacity of magazines to 10 rounds. We explain that the two-step test used by the lower federal courts undermines the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Heller and McDonald. And we explain that weapons useful in military service are exactly the type of weapons covered by the Second Amendment under United States v. Miller and Heller.
Remington Arms v. Soto
Today we filed our second amicus brief in the defense of a firearms manufacturer who was sued in Connecticut after the Sandy Hook shooting. Our prior brief was in the Connecticut Supreme Court. This brief supports the manufacturer’s effort to obtain review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Most of the plaintiffs’ theories were rejected by the Connecticut Supreme Court, but it allowed the case to proceed based on advertising that supposedly would have appealed to young males to conduct shootings. Our brief explains why the Connecticut Court erred in its creation of a huge exception to the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a statute designed specifically to protect firearms manufacturers and dealers from suits such as this one.
Bump Stocks: Gun Owners of America v. Barr — Brief for Appellants
Today we filed our opening brief in the Sixth Circuit case of Gun Owners of America v. Barr — challenging the district court’s refusal to issue a preliminary injunction to stop the ATF total ban on the private ownership of bump stocks.
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York (Merits)
Today we filed our second amicus brief in support of a challenge to New York City’s near prohibition on transporting firearms. This is the first Second Amendment case that the U.S. Supreme Court has heard since Heller (2008) and McDonald (2010). Our brief details the lower courts’ open prejudice against gun rights and its disregard for the Supreme Court’s protection of Second
Jeremy Kettler v. United States
Today, we filed a Petition for Certiorari on behalf of Jeremy Kettler, who was convicted of possessing an unregistered firearm suppressor. Our petition asks the Supreme Court to review the Tenth Circuit’s decision, and to determine whether the National Firearms Act continues to be an appropriate exercise of Congress’s taxing power due to the many changes that have been made to the
World Net Daily: Hawaii: Gun-Carry Ban Legitimate Because It’s Century Old
World Net Daily carried a story discussing the amicus brief we filed in Young v. Hawaii on November 19, 2018.