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SCOTUS Gun Watch - Week of 5/22/23

  • Date:
  • May 22, 2023

On May 17, the Court denied the pending emergency application to reverse a district court decision upholding Illinois' assault weapons and large-capacity magazine ban pending appeal in Bevis v. Naperville.  There was no explanation for the denial, and there were no written dissents or statements issued.  It's not surprising to me that the Court declined to get involved at this intermediate stage, especially given its prior denial of a similar emergency application in the Antonyuk case challenging New York's post-Bruen public carry law and the fact that the Seventh Circuit has agreed to hear the case on an expedited schedule.  With that said, it is somewhat interesting that none of Justices Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh—each of whom has previously indicated a belief that assault weapon bans are likely unconstitutional—filed a dissent or separate statement. 

The government's response in Seekins, an as-applied commerce clause challenge to 922(g)(1), is due today.  In Rahimi, the respondent (Mr. Rahimi) submitted a letter motion on May 15 requesting to extend the response deadline to June 13 due to "the distraction of other urgent litigation deadlines."  The government consented to an extension until May 30 but opposed any further extension that might prevent the petition from being "distributed on June 6 for consideration at the June 22 conference," the Court's final conference before its summer recess.  The Court granted the respondent's motion in part and extended the response deadline to May 30.  We'll have more updates on Seekins and Rahimi in the coming weeks. 

 

Petitions Pending

Case

Ct. Below

Pet. Filed

Implicated Law/Issue

Status

Garland

v. 

Cargill

(22-976)

5th Cir. 

6-Apr-2023

Whether a bump stock devices constitutes a "machinegun" as defined by federal legislation, and whether ATF acted outside of its statutory authorization in banning bump stocks via regulation.

Response due 7-June-2023

United States

v.

Rahimi

(22-915)

5th Cir.

17-Mar-2023

Facial constitutional challenge to § 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(8) under the Second Amendment.

Response due 30-May-2023

Seekins

v. 

United States

(22-6853)

5th Cir.

21-Feb-2023

As-applied commerce clause challenge to 922(g)(1). 

Response requested, due 22-May-2023

The National Rifle Association of America 

v.

Vullo

(22-842)

2d Cir. 

7-Feb-2023

First Amendment challenge by the NRA to state government guidance and press urging banks and insurance companies to consider the reputational risks of doing business with gun-rights organizations. 

Response requested, due 23-June-2023

Petitions Granted and Argued

Case

Ct. Below

Pet. Filed

Implicated Law/Issue

Status

Lora

v. 

United States

(22-49)

2d Cir. 

15-July-2022

Whether 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(D)(ii) requires consecutive sentences be imposed for a defendant convicted and sentenced under 924(j).

Argued 28-Mar-2023

Petitions Disposed

Case

Ct. Below

Pet. Filed

Implicated Law/Issue

Status

Bevis

v. 

City of Naperville

(22A948 - emergency application)

7th Cir.

26-Apr-2023

Emergency application for injunction of Illinois assault weapons and LCM ban pending appeal of district court order upholding the law. 

Denied 17-May-2023

Gazzola

v.

Hochul

(22-622)

2d Cir.

4-Jan-2023

Second Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and vagueness challenge by New York firearms dealers to state regulations on the commercial sale of firearms.

Cert Denied 24-Apr-2023

Doe

v.

United States

(22-806)

1st Cir.

17-Feb-2023

Whether the Massachusetts state crime of straight assault becomes a violent felony that satisfies the ACCA's force requirement because it was committed with a dangerous weapon.

Cert Denied 27-Mar 2023

Beemer 

v.

Whitmer

(22-586)

6th Cir.

21-Dec-2022

Mootness of challenge to Michigan COVID-19 restrictions, including Second Amendment challenge to order closing gun stores

Cert Denied 27-Feb-2023

Gazzola 

v.

Hochul 

(22A591 - emergency application)

2d Cir.

29-Dec-2022

Application to reverse district court order denying preliminary injunction and enter administrative stay (NY commercial gun regulations)

Denied 18-Jan-2023

Greco 

v. 

Platkin

(22-478)

3d Cir. 

13-May-2022

Challenge to NJ extreme-risk-protection law under Fourth Amendment / Younger abstention 

Cert Denied 17-Jan-2023

Antonyuk

v.

Nigrelli

(22A557 - emergency application

2d Cir. 

21-Dec-2022

Application to lift stay of district court preliminary injunction pending appeal (NY post-Bruen gun law)

Denied 11-Jan-2023; Justice Alito issued a separate statement (joined by Justice Thomas)

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

Cert Denied 5-Dec-2022

McCutchen, et al.; The Modern Sportsman, et al.

v.

United States

(22-25)

Fed Cir.

8-July-2022

Challenge to ATF bump stock ban under 5th Amendment takings clause

Cert Denied 14-Nov-2022

Mashour Howling

v. 

State of Maryland

Md. Ct. App.

13-Oct-2022

Challenge to Maryland jury instructions for possessing firearm after conviction for a crime of violence

Cert Denied 14-Nov-2022

Torcivia

v.

Suffolk County

(21-1522)

2d Cir.

31-May-2022

Challenge to warrantless home entry to seize firearms

Cert Denied 14-Nov-2022

Keith L. Carnes

v.

United States

(22-76)

8th Cir.

26-July-2022

As-applied challenge to 922(g)(3) and definition of "unlawful user of . . . any controlled substance"

Cert Denied 31-Oct-2022

Whitaker

v.

District of Columbia Concealed Pistol Licensing Review Board

(21-1545)

D.C. Ct. App.

7-Jun-2022

Challenge to DC gun license revocation standard

Cert Denied 3-Oct-2022

Gun Owners of America v. Garland

(21-1215)

6th Cir.

3-Mar-2022

Challenge to the bump stock ban

Cert Denied 3-Oct-2022

Morin v. Lyver

(21-1160)

1st Cir.

13-Dec-2022

Challenge to Massachusetts’ bar on handgun purchases for those with nonviolent misdemeanors

Granted, vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of Bruen 3-Oct-2022

Aposhian v. Garland

(21-159)

10th Cir.

2-Aug-2021

Challenge to agency deference re the bump stock ban

Cert Denied 3-Oct-2022

Duncan v. Bonta

(21-1194)

9th Cir.

28-Feb-2022

Challenge to California ban on magazines holding 10 rounds or more

Granted, vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of Bruen 30-June 2022

Bianchi v. Frosh

(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 for further consideration in light of Bruen 30-June 2022

Young v. Hawaii

(20-1639)

9th Cir.

11-May-21

Challenge to Hawaii’s restrictive open carry law

Granted, vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of Bruen 30-June 2022

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 for further consideration in light of Bruen 30-June 2022

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