The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Maryland’s gun law banning assault-style weapons, including the AR-15 rifle. This decision keeps the ban in place for now, with ongoing litigation in other states likely to bring the issue back to the justices. The Court’s 2022 decision expanding gun rights under the Second Amendment has influenced the enactment and overturning of state laws. The Maryland law was enacted in 2013 after the Sandy Hook school shooting, defining “assault weapons” as similar to military firearms like the M16.
The ban on assault weapons in Maryland was upheld by the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, but a new set of plaintiffs filed a lawsuit following the Supreme Court’s 2022 gun rights ruling. Despite having had two years to make a ruling, the appeals court has yet to do so. The plaintiffs sought direct intervention from the Supreme Court, a rare move that the court rarely takes. The high court is also considering a follow-up case to its 2022 ruling on a law banning individuals accused of domestic violence from owning firearms, as well as a case on the federal ban on bump stocks.
The Maryland ban on assault weapons was enacted in response to the tragic Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, in which 20 children and six adults were killed. The law defines assault weapons similar to military firearms like the M16 and includes the AR-15. Previous challenges to the law have been unsuccessful, but the new plaintiffs hope that the Supreme Court’s 2022 gun rights ruling will provide a different outcome. The ongoing debate over gun laws and rights continues to be a divisive issue in the United States.
The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the challenge to Maryland’s assault weapons ban leaves the law in place while litigation continues in other states over similar laws. The court’s 2022 expansion of gun rights under the Second Amendment has led to the enactment and overturning of state laws, with the Maryland law being a significant example. The ongoing gun rights debate is likely to bring the issue back to the Supreme Court in the future, as states and plaintiffs continue to challenge various gun laws.
In addition to Maryland’s assault weapons ban, the Supreme Court is also considering other gun-related cases, including a law banning individuals accused of domestic violence from owning firearms and the federal ban on bump stocks. These cases, along with the Maryland assault weapons ban, highlight the ongoing debate over gun laws and rights in the United States. The Court’s decisions on these cases are expected to have far-reaching implications for gun regulations and Second Amendment rights across the country. The Court’s reluctance to intervene directly in the Maryland case, despite ongoing litigation and controversy, speaks to the complexities and challenges of addressing gun laws in the United States.
