The Patriot Post® · DC Ruling Could Have Far Reaching Effects

Gun rights activists won a huge victory over the weekend when a federal judge struck down the District of Columbia’s unconstitutional ban on the carrying of firearms. The ruling was granted a 90-day stay Tuesday, however, giving city officials time to figure out their next move. Law professor Adam Winkler notes, “Often in the Second Amendment area, lower courts strike laws down and appeals courts uphold the cases. D.C. might be best served by appealing. The D.C. circuit court of appeals has upheld their gun control laws in the past.” In other words, another legal showdown seems almost certain. Concerning the ruling itself, Whitney Blake of The Weekly Standard notes the potentially broad implications of this ruling: “Legal experts say this is the first time a judge has ruled on – or even been presented with in this manner – the hot-button firearms issues of residency and reciprocity. The judge determined that non-residents cannot be barred from carrying handguns in D.C. simply because they do not live there. This establishes an uncharted precedent that has the potential to affect gun laws across the country.”