New Jersey petitions Supreme Court over magazine ban ruling

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has petitioned the Supreme Court to review a ruling by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that declared the state’s ban on high-capacity magazines unconstitutional. The Third Circuit’s decision in Cheeseman v. New Jersey found that the ban on magazines holding more than ten rounds violated Second Amendment rights, noting the widespread lawful ownership of such accessories.

In the petition, New Jersey argues that the appellate court failed to account for technological advancements and the rise of modern mass shootings. The state contends that these factors represent an ‘unprecedented societal concern’ that requires a more nuanced legal approach.

The case has created a ‘circuit split’ with the Ninth Circuit, which previously upheld a similar magazine ban in California. Such disagreements between federal appeals courts often increase the likelihood of the Supreme Court intervening to establish a uniform national standard.