Federal Court Strikes Down New Jersey Gun Ban in Major Rights Victory

Clear Facts

• The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and magazines holding more than 10 rounds violates the Second Amendment
• The National Rifle Association called the decision a “historic victory” in a case they have litigated since 2018
• The court held that New Jersey failed to prove its firearm restrictions are consistent with America’s historical tradition of gun regulation

A federal appeals court delivered a landmark victory for Second Amendment rights on Friday, striking down New Jersey’s long-standing ban on semiautomatic rifles and standard-capacity magazines. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the state’s restrictions violate the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

The sweeping en banc decision expands beyond the lower court’s ruling by declaring New Jersey’s so-called “assault-firearm” ban unconstitutional as it applies to the entire class of semiautomatic rifles, not just the AR-15. The court also invalidated the state’s ban on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.

“This is an NRA case that we’ve been litigating since 2018, so it’s a monumental win,” Justin Davis, managing director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, told Fox News Digital.

The National Rifle Association celebrated the ruling as a watershed moment for constitutional freedoms across the nation.

“Today marks a historic victory for the NRA, the Second Amendment, and law-abiding Americans. The Third Circuit has struck down these unconstitutional so-called assault weapons bans and magazine bans in New Jersey, affirming what we’ve always known: the right to keep and bear arms, including commonly-owned rifles and standard-capacity magazines, is fundamental and cannot be infringed by politicians who prioritize control over constitutional freedoms.”

“This ruling protects the rights of millions of responsible gun owners in the Garden State and serves as another benchmark in our efforts to dismantle gun control across the country.”

Writing for the majority, U.S. Circuit Judge Arianna Freeman, a Biden appointee, applied the Supreme Court’s framework established in landmark Second Amendment cases including District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. These precedents require governments to demonstrate that modern firearm restrictions align with America’s historical tradition of gun regulation.

The court concluded that New Jersey failed to meet that constitutional burden. The majority held that semiautomatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds are protected arms under the Second Amendment, and the state could not prove its restrictions have historical precedent in American law.

According to the court, New Jersey enacted its “assault-firearms law” in 1990 following a California elementary school shooting. The governor at the time described the banned firearms as “guns capable of wholesale destruction” that were “designed to wipe out the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time.”

Despite this characterization, the appeals court found the state’s historical justification insufficient. The ruling reinforces that commonly owned firearms used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes receive constitutional protection, regardless of political rhetoric.

Several judges dissented from the decision, arguing that the banned firearms are unusually dangerous military-style weapons that states have long had authority to regulate. The dissent also noted that the ruling conflicts with every other federal appeals court that has upheld similar state restrictions.

The decision represents a significant shift in Second Amendment jurisprudence and could have far-reaching implications for gun control laws in other states with similar restrictions. Legal experts expect the ruling to face appeals and potentially reach the Supreme Court.

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