Federal Appeals Court Overturns New Jersey’s Semi-Automatic Rifle Ban
On Friday, a federal appeals court invalidated New Jersey’s prohibition on semi-automatic rifles and magazines that carry over 10 rounds. The National Rifle Association (NRA) hailed the ruling as a “historic victory” in a case that has been contested since 2018.
In a significant en banc ruling, the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit Court of Appeals determined that New Jersey’s regulations regarding assault rifles and high-capacity magazines breached the Second Amendment. The court found the state’s ban unconstitutional, noting it encompassed all semi-automatic rifles, not merely the AR-15 model. Additionally, it upheld the lower court’s stance against the ban on both semi-automatic rifles and the limitation on magazine capacity.
“This is a monumental victory because this is an NRA lawsuit that we’ve been litigating since 2018,” remarked Justin Davis, the NRA’s communications director. The organization celebrated the decision, asserting it represents a significant win for gun owners nationwide.
“Today marks a historic moment for the NRA, the Second Amendment, and responsible Americans,” the NRA stated. They also underscored the ruling’s importance in safeguarding the rights of millions of gun owners in New Jersey and signified a shift in efforts to reconceptualize gun laws across the country.
The majority opinion, authored by U.S. Circuit Judge Arianna Freeman, a Biden appointee, stated that the Supreme Court’s decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen dictate that modern firearm regulations must align with America’s historical customs of firearm governance. Applying this framework, the court concluded that New Jersey did not adequately justify its restrictions.
While several justices dissented, arguing that the banned firearms are especially dangerous military-type weapons and that states have historically maintained the authority to regulate them, the majority rejected this view. They emphasized that New Jersey’s restrictions did not align with the nation’s established historical norms regarding firearms regulation.
The court cited New Jersey’s enactment of the Firearm Assault Act in 1990, which responded to a tragic school shooting in California. At the time, the state described the targeted firearms as “guns capable of mass destruction” intended to maximize harm in minimal time.
