The Court may be decide whether to accept a potentially historic second amendment case. The Court could finally recognize the existence of an individual right to gun ownership. For a prior column, click here For a story on the case, click here The Supreme Court is considering review of District of Columbia v. Heller and Parker v. District of Columbia, involving constitutional challenges to the gun-control laws in Washington.
There appears a five justice majority on the question. While I believe that there is an individual right, it is worth noting that even the D.C. Circuit panel ruled that this right could be subject to reasonable limitations.
I would suppose that the Court will take the case(s) and there are five and perhaps even six votes for recognizing the individual right. And I’m not unhappy with that.
What will be interesting will be language in the separate concurrences…what do the Justices see are the inherent circumscriptions?
Next 2nd Amendment battleground may be in defining what “arms” are.
Can private citizens or groups of citizens own attack helicopters, tanks, air-to-ground ordnance?
And what about private armies….