Judge Blocks D.C. Conceal Carry Law

Judge Blocks D.C. Conceal Carry Law

[caption id="attachment_4387" align="alignleft" width="300"]

Photo by Stephanie Frey/Dreamstime[/caption]That pesky Second Amendment just keeps getting in the way of politicians trying to restrict gun owner's rights in America. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a ruling today that blocks law enforcement from requiring gun owners to have a "good reason" to apply for a conceal carry permit.The judge ruled that the "good reason" requirement, "likely places an unconstitutional burden" on Second Amendment rights. The District has been doing everything they can to pass strict gun laws despite the 2008 Supreme Court ruling in the District of Columbia v. Heller case that struck down the District's decades old ban on gun ownership. Despite it being illegal to ban gun ownership outright, there are states and cities who have done everything they can to skirt the Heller decision and find a back door way to deny law abiding citizens the right to bear arms.In today's ruling, Judge Leon said,

Because the right to bear arms includes the right to carry firearms for self-defense both in and outside the home, I find that the District's 'good reason' requirement likely places an unconstitutional burden on this right.

This is not the end of the fighting over this law as an appeal is being planned by the District's Attorney General Karl Racine. Said Racine about the judge's ruling,

We believe that the Districts gun laws are reasonable and necessary to ensure public safety in a dense urban area.

The District Attorney has asked that Judge Leon put his ruling on hold while the city appeals his decision.We will keep you all posted on the fate of this law as appeals continue. This is the third judge to issue a ruling on this law and the second to agree that it is not constitutional. It looks good for law abiding gun owners in the District moving forward but we are no doubt a long way from final resolution. Expect this case to end up before the Supreme Court before it is decided once and for all.