In a landmark decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a federal law that prohibited gun stores from selling handguns to adults aged 18 to 20 according to The Hill.
The court's ruling is informed by the Supreme Court's broad interpretation of the Second Amendment, further slashing progressive gun control measures.
In 2012, the 5th Circuit upheld the law, agreeing that it was within constitutional bounds to restrict handgun sales to the age group of 18 to 20.
However, the scenario changed after the Supreme Court's pivotal decision approximately ten years ago. This ruling refined the criteria for evaluating gun control measures, emphasizing that such laws must reflect historical firearm regulations.
During their deliberations, the appellate court could not find any historical precedent specifically excluding 18-to-20-year-olds from the right to bear arms in self-defense contexts during the time the Second Amendment was established.
U.S. Circuit Judge Edith Jones, representing a unanimous three-judge panel, asserted the inclusion of 18-to-20-year-olds under the Second Amendment's protections. All three judges on the panel were appointed by Republican presidents, highlighting a consistent judicial perspective in this matter.
Judge Jones eloquently detailed her rationale, stating, “Ultimately, the text of the Second Amendment includes eighteen-to-twenty-year-old individuals among ‘the people’ whose right to keep and bear arms is protected.”
This interpretation rests on the acknowledgment that young adults were historically required to serve in militias, thus being integral to the national defense structure directly linked to the Amendment's original intent.
Further expanding on this, Judge Jones noted, “Eighteen-to-twenty-year-olds therefore must be covered by the plain text of the Second Amendment, as they were compulsorily enrolled in the regiments that the Amendment was written to protect,” affirming their right to possess firearms for self-defense.
This decision is among several recent judicial responses that reflect the Supreme Court's guidelines on interpreting the Second Amendment.
These guidelines have encouraged a reevaluation of existing gun control statutes to better align with the constitutional text and its historically verified intents.
The debate surrounding gun control and rights for younger adults has been contentious, with significant public safety and rights implications.
The appellate court’s decision addresses this ongoing debate by reinforcing the constitutional protections extended to younger adults.
Previously, former President Biden’s Justice Department defended the age restrictions at the 5th Circuit, supporting the ban on handgun sales to people under 21. However, with the court's reversal, there could potentially be an appeal to the Supreme Court by the Trump administration, aiming to further clarify these issues.
The 5th Circuit’s recent ruling has the potential to influence other gun control efforts across the United States. Given the court's conservative-leaning stance and the current composition of the Supreme Court, similar challenges to gun regulations might find receptive judicial audiences.