Landmark Ruling: Unconstitutional Gun Ban Overturned for Under-21s
A U.S. appeals court has declared a longstanding federal ban on handgun sales to adults under 21 unconstitutional, citing recent Supreme Court rulings. This decision marks the first time such a verdict has been reached, reflecting changes in the interpretation of the Second Amendment.
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A groundbreaking decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a decades-old federal ban preventing licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to adults under 21. The court's decision deemed the prohibition unconstitutional, aligning with recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that expanded gun rights.
This landmark ruling marks the first occurrence in which a federal appeals court declared the ban as violating the Second Amendment's clause to keep and bear arms. Previously upheld in 2012, the ban faced reassessment after a 2022 Supreme Court ruling requisitioned consistency with the historical tradition of firearm regulation.
The case was challenged by individuals aged 18 to 20, along with gun rights organizations. The ruling criticized the U.S. Department of Justice, arguing the government offered scant evidence supporting the ban's consistency with historical practices. Gun rights advocates hailed the decision as a monumental victory.
(With inputs from agencies.)