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SCOTUS Assault‑Weapon Review; IL Upheld, NJ Overturned

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-26 13:37 UTC → 2026-07-28 22:27 UTC · added removed

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two consolidated challenges to AR‑15‑style rifle bans — one from Cook County, Illinois, and another from Connecticut — with oral arguments slated for the October term and a decision expected by June 2027. On July 9 2026 the Seventh Circuit upheld Illinois’s statewide prohibition on AR‑15‑type rifles, high‑capacity magazines and related accessories, reinforcing the state’s 2023 Protect Illinois Communities Act as consistent with the nation’s tradition of firearm regulation. A week later, on July 17 2026 the Third Circuit, sitting en banc, voted 10‑5 to invalidate New Jersey’s ban on semi‑automatic rifles and magazines holding more than ten rounds, applying the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen historical‑tradition test. The ruling, the first appellate decision to strike down a state assault‑weapon ban, created a clear circuit split. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport decried the decision as “legally incorrect,” while the NRA hailed a “historic victory.” On July 19 2026 the Third Circuit reiterated its judgment, noting that it now leaves roughly a dozen states and the District of Columbia with similar bans vulnerable to challenge. By July 25 2026 the Supreme Court’s docket confirmed the October‑term oral arguments and highlighted the broader debate, as commentators observed that the Court’s upcoming review could reshape Second‑Amendment jurisprudence nationwide. Both rulings arrive as On July 28 2026 the Justice Department pursues injunctions against recent state bans Court formally announced it will hear the two consolidated cases—Viramontes v. Cook County (Illinois) and gun‑rights Grant v. Higgins (Connecticut)—filed by the Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition. Gun‑rights groups prepare to seek Supreme Court review, underscoring such as the pending national debate over National Shooting Sports Foundation see the constitutionality review as an opportunity to affirm the legality of assault‑weapon regulations. ownership, while gun‑control organizations, including the Brady Campaign, warn the rulings could cement broader restrictions and set a nationwide precedent.

Versions

  1. 2026-07-28 22:27 UTC SCOTUS Assault‑Weapon Review; IL Upheld, NJ Overturned
  2. 2026-07-26 13:37 UTC SCOTUS Assault‑Weapon Review; IL Upheld, NJ Overturned

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