Court Ruling: Handgun Age Limit Breaches Constitutional Rights

Gavel on book beside scales of justice

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has ruled that the federal age restriction for handgun purchases violates constitutional rights, inviting scrutiny of age-based gun laws nationwide.

Quick Takes

  • The 5th Circuit Court ruled the ban on handgun sales to 18-to-20-year-olds unconstitutional.
  • The court’s decision was unanimous in challenging the age-based restriction.
  • The ruling opposes the Biden administration’s defense of historical firearm regulation.
  • This decision overturns previous district court decisions and calls for further proceedings.

Court’s Landmark Decision

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit concluded that the federal prohibition preventing individuals aged 18 to 20 from purchasing handguns through licensed dealers is unconstitutional. This decision, emerging from the case Reese v. ATF, involved a unanimous judgment from the three-judge panel based in New Orleans.

The court’s opinion dismantled the government’s justification, asserting that relevant historical precedents do not support such an age-specific limitation on gun ownership. Judge Edith Jones authored the opinion, highlighting that the Second Amendment confers gun ownership rights to younger adults without explicitly defined age limits in its text.

Implication of the Ruling

This decision reverses a prior ruling by a lower court, returning Reese v. ATF back for additional proceedings. The federal restriction on handgun sales to younger adults was originally established in 1968 under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. The court observed that evidence provided by the Biden administration did not convincingly substantiate the historical validity of the restrictive age limit.

“The federal government has presented scant evidence that eighteen-to-twenty-year-olds’ firearm rights during the founding-era were restricted in a similar manner to the contemporary federal handgun purchase ban, and its 19th-century evidence ‘cannot provide much insight into the meaning of the Second Amendment when it contradicts earlier evidence,’” – Judge Edith Jones

With this ruling, the Firearms Policy Coalition hailed the verdict as a triumph in restoring comprehensive gun rights for lawful adults in the United States. Meanwhile, the Brady organization condemned the judgment, arguing it could dangerously enlarge firearm access among adolescents.

A Broader Legal Conversation

This ruling aids a larger national dialogue about the legality of age-based firearm regulations. Similar age-related matters have been addressed in previous interstate court cases like those in the 4th and 9th Circuits. For instance, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case clarified conditions surrounding gun control legislation, reiterating adherence to historical regulatory precedents.

As discussions around firearm regulation continue, the 5th Circuit’s ruling will likely inspire considerable debate regarding both legal interpretations of constitutional rights and the practical implications that follow.

Sources

1. The 5th Circuit Says the Federal Ban on Handgun Sales to Young Adults Is Unconstitutional

2. Federal court rules ban on handgun sales to adults under age 21 is unconstitutional