Supreme Court Upholds Domestic Violence Gun Ban in Major Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal law prohibiting individuals under domestic violence restraining orders from owning guns, marking a win for the Biden administration. The 8-1 decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, reversed a lower court ruling that the 1994 law violated the Second Amendment. The case involved Zackey Rahimi, who challenged the law after being convicted for possessing firearms while under a restraining order.
The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously struck down the law, citing it failed to meet the Supreme Court’s 2022 standard requiring gun regulations to align with historical traditions. However, Roberts argued that historical firearm laws have targeted individuals posing physical threats. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas was the sole dissenter, warning that the decision could jeopardize broader Second Amendment rights.
The ruling was praised by gun safety advocates and the Biden administration, which emphasized the importance of the law for protecting abuse victims and public safety. Attorney General Merrick Garland supported the decision, calling it a “commonsense prohibition.” The Supreme Court’s decision counters a trend of expanding gun rights, which included a significant 2022 ruling recognizing a constitutional right to carry handguns in public for self-defense.