SCOTUS Declines to Hear Pennsylvania’s Concealed Carry Ban Challenge

In a recent order from the Supreme Court, they turned down a certificate related to a ruling from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which deemed Pennsylvania’s ban on concealed carry for individuals aged 18 to 20 unconstitutional.

This matter is linked to the Lara vs. Evanchick case, part of a broader initiative from the Second Amendment Foundation.

The Duke Firearms Law Center provided a summary of the case, noting that on January 18th, 2024, a panel from the Third Circuit invalidated various Pennsylvania laws that restricted individuals aged 18 to 20 from carrying firearms in public during emergencies, citing Second Amendment rights. The Lara ruling is one of several recent decisions addressing age-related firearm restrictions, especially as the Supreme Court prepares to tackle related issues concerning firearm possession.

The Third Circuit had been asked to reconsider its decision, but the Second Amendment Foundation celebrated when the request for this was denied. They stated that the ruling affirmed that responsible youth should not be barred from self-defense rights or from obtaining a state license to carry based on their age.

This case was later forwarded to the Supreme Court through a certification application, which, as mentioned, they denied on Tuesday.

Gun rights advocates in Pennsylvania marked SCOTUS’s decision as a “major victory” for gun owners in the state, highlighting the significance of the Third Circuit’s ruling.