U.S. courts hand string of defeats to gun‑control groups

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 25 ruling in *Wolford v. Lopez* struck down a Hawaiian law that barred concealed carry on private property, marking a setback for gun‑control advocates. A week earlier, the Court upheld the federal government’s authority to prosecute marijuana users who possess firearms in *Hemani v. United States*.

Subsequent appellate decisions have further eroded gun‑control victories. The Fifth Circuit dismissed an Everytown for Gun Safety suit seeking to make concealed carry in Texas businesses easier. The Third Circuit threw out New Jersey’s ban on modern semiautomatic firearms, and Virginia judges blocked a similar ban signed by Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger. Both Everytown and the Giffords Law Center filed amicus briefs defending the challenged laws.

These rulings represent a series of legal losses for gun‑control groups across the United States during the summer of 2024.