SCOTUS Gun Watch – Week of 8/1/22
A few updates this week on the Supreme Court front, as the summer recess continues.
Baldea and Whitaker (both permitting cases) are set for consideration at the Court's Long Conference in September. Massachusetts filed a response in Morin v. Lyver, a challenge to the state's ban on issuing public carry licenses to those convicted of certain weapons-related misdemeanor offenses, including non-violent offenses. The issue in Morin is primarily one of appellate waiver: whether the petitioner limited his appeal to the argument that the Massachusetts law infringed his right to keep a gun in the home for self-defense. The First Circuit dismissed the appeal on these grounds, observing that the law does not prevent the petitioner from obtaining and possessing a gun in his home (only from obtaining a public carry license) and holding that the petitioner failed to develop any other basis for a Second Amendment challenge. The state's recently-filed response largely argues that the challenge is precluded by appellate waiver, with only a brief section at the end asserting that Bruen does not alter the conclusion on any unwaived argument because misdemeanants like the petitioner are not "ordinary, law-abiding citizens."
We'll continue to track any developments and new cert petitions on a bi-weekly basis for the rest of the summer.
Petitions Pending
Case |
Ct. Below |
Pet. Filed |
Implicated Law/Issue |
Status |
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (20-843) |
2d Cir. |
17-Dec-20 |
Challenge to New York’s good cause public carry regime |
Decided 23-June-2022 |
(21-159) |
10th Cir. |
2-Aug-2021 |
Challenge to agency deference re the bump stock ban |
Conference rescheduled (for the 18th? time) |
(21-1160) |
1st Cir. |
13-Dec-2022 |
Challenge to Massachusetts’ bar on handgun purchases for those with nonviolent misdemeanors |
Response filed 21-July-2022 |
Gun Owners of America v. Garland (21-1215) |
6th Cir. |
3-Mar-2022 |
Challenge to the bump stock ban |
Conference rescheduled |
Baldea v. City of New York License Division of the NYPD (21-1495) |
NY App. Ct. |
10-May-2022 |
Challenge to NYC gun license denial |
Distributed for conference 28-Sept-2022 |
(21-1522) |
2d Cir. |
31-May-2022 |
Challenge to warrantless home entry to seize firearms |
Response due 4-Aug-2022 |
District of Columbia Concealed Pistol Licensing Review Board (21-1545) |
D.C. Ct. App. |
7-Jun-2022 |
Challenge to DC gun license revocation standard |
Distributed for conference 28-Sept-2022 |
McCutchen, et al.; The Modern Sportsman, et al. (22-25) |
Fed Cir. |
8-July-2022 |
Challenge to ATF bump stock ban under 5th Amendment takings clause |
Filed 5-July-2022; Response due 7-Sept-2022 (motion to extend response date further is pending) |
Petitions Disposed
Case |
Ct. Below |
Pet. Filed |
Implicated Law/Issue |
Status |
(20-902) |
11th Cir. |
29-Dec-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) |
Cert Denied |
(20-1122) |
App. Ct. Mass. |
2-Nov-20 |
Challenge to Mass. firearm storage law |
Cert Denied |
(20-782) |
3d Cir. |
3-Dec-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) |
Cert Denied |
(20-819) |
9th Cir. |
9-Dec-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(4) |
Cert Denied |
(20-812) |
3d Cir. |
11-Dec-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) |
Cert Denied |
(19-8709) |
11th Cir. |
8-Jun-2020 |
Scope of appellate review for Rehaif errors |
Decided 14-June-2021 |
(20-157) |
1st Cir. |
10-Aug-20 |
Fourth Amendment challenge to gun removal |
Decided 17-May-2021 |
(20-171) |
6th Cir. |
13-Aug-20 |
Guilty plea under 922(g) without knowledge of disqualifying status
|
Cert Denied |
(20-444) |
4th Cir. |
5-Oct-20 |
Guilty plea under 922(g) without being informed that knowledge is an element of the offense (Govt is petitioner) |
Decided 14-June-2021 |
(19-1057) |
9th Cir. |
21-Feb-20 |
Warrantless search and seizure of firearms under Fourth Amendment |
Cert Denied |
(19-1390) |
4th. Cir. |
12-Jun-20 |
Vagueness challenge to the Armed Career Criminal Act’s elements clause |
Cert Denied |
(19-1418) |
Neb. Sup. Ct. |
22-June-20
|
Second and Sixth Amendment challenge to jury-less conviction that can result in gun disqualifer for juveniles |
Cert Denied |
(20-416) |
10th Cir. |
24-Sep-20 |
Federal court abstention over Second Amendment claims being adjudicated in state court |
Cert Denied |
(20-5579) |
9th Cir. |
27-Aug-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) |
Cert Denied |
E.H. v. Florida Dept. Ag. (Pro se) (20-627) |
Fla. Ct. App. |
9-Oct-20 |
Challenge to firearm license denial based on prior mental health commitment |
Cert Denied |
(20-522) |
6th Cir. |
16-Oct-20 |
Challenge to ACCA enhancement |
Cert Denied |
(20-6046) |
5th Cir. |
13-Oct-20 |
As-applied challenge to 922(g)(8) |
Cert Denied |
(20-550) |
5th Cir. |
21-Oct-20 |
Challenge to conviction based on misstatements on Form 4473 (req’d for purchase at a gun dealer) |
Cert Denied |
(20-840) |
11th Cir. |
17-Dec-20 |
Fourth Amendment challenge to use of deadly force against person with holstered weapon |
Cert Denied |
Libertarian Party of Erie County v. Cuomo (20-1151) |
2d Cir. |
9-Feb-21 |
Challenge to New York’s pistol permit regime |
Cert Denied |
(20-1298) |
6th Cir. |
16-Mar-21 |
Failure to give self-defense instruction |
Cert Denied |
(20-1419) |
N.J. Superior Ct. |
2-Apr-21 |
Challenge to New Jersey’s good cause public carry law |
Cert Denied |
Reyes-Torres, v. United States (20-7714) |
5th Cir. |
5- Apr-2021 |
Challenge to § 922(g)(5) (federal law barring undocumented immigrants from possessing firearms) |
Cert Denied |
(20-1640) |
Ohio Sup. Ct. |
21-May-21 |
Challenge to Ohio law barring carrying/using firearms while intoxicated |
Cert Denied |
(20-1706) |
Wisc. Sup. Ct. |
4-June-2021 |
Challenge to state law prohibiting firearm possession by non-violent felon |
Cert Denied |
(21-104) |
4th Cir. |
22-July-2021 |
As-applied challenge to § 922(g)(9) (conviction for misdemeanor domestic violence offense) |
Cert Denied |
(21-514) |
2d Cir. |
4-Oct-2021 |
Fourth Amendment and due process challenges to New York policies about the return of firearms after disqualification |
Cert Denied |
(21-175) |
N.J. Superior Ct. |
4-Aug-2021 |
Challenge to N.J. law permitting firearms seizure/prohibiting possession pursuant to DV restraining order |
Cert Denied |
(21-667) |
Minn. Sup. Ct. |
1-Nov-2021 |
Challenge to Minnesota’s requirement that a person get a permit to carry in public |
Cert Denied |
(21-910) |
Wash. Ct. App. |
16-Dec-2021 |
Challenge to Seattle ordinance barring the public carry of certain knives |
Cert Denied |
(21-1155) |
4th Cir. |
17-Feb-2022 |
Challenge to 4th Circuit decision vacating opinion striking down under-21 handgun purchase ban |
Cert Denied |
(21-895) |
9th Cir. |
13-Dec-2021 |
Challenge to arrest on weapons’ charges given the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) |
Cert Denied |
(21-1249) |
Mass. App. Ct. |
1-Mar-2022 |
Challenge to permit requirement for home firearm possession |
Cert Denied |
(21-1341) |
7th Cir. |
4-Apr-2022 |
Challenge to trial questioning about “illegal” gun that was lawfully licensed |
Cert Denied |
Missouri Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel (21-1440) |
Mo. Sup. Ct. |
9-May-2022 |
Challenge to attorney discipline for firearms-related conduct on Second Amendment and due process grounds |
Cert Denied |
Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs v. Bruck (20-1507) |
3d Cir. |
26-Apr-21 |
Challenge to New Jersey ban on magazines holding 10 rounds or more |
Granted, vacated and remanded 30-June 2022 |
(20-1639) |
9th Cir. |
11-May-21 |
Challenge to Hawaii’s restrictive open carry law |
Granted, vacated and remanded 30-June 2022 |
(21-902) |
4th Cir. |
16-Dec-2021 |
Challenge to Maryland’s assault weapons ban and to the methodology used for 2A questions |
Granted, vacated and remanded 30-June 2022 |
(21-1194) |
9th Cir. |
28-Feb-2022 |
Challenge to California ban on magazines holding 10 rounds or more |
Granted, vacated and remanded 30-June 2022 |