Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Supreme Court to hear gun case

The Supreme Court has granted certiorari on the Second Amendment case, District of Columbia v. Heller. This case arises out of the D.C. handgun ban. The precise issue to be decided has been framed as "Whether the following provisions — D.C. Code secs. 7-2502.02(a)(4), 22-4504(a), and 7-2507.02 — violate the Second Amendment rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use in their homes?” More here.

The way this question is phrased would seem to require the Court to decide whether we have an individual right to bear arms. Very big, and the various justices' approaches to deciding this case will say a lot about their judicial philosophies. More as the news rolls out.

6 comments:

Jack Gonzo, MD said...

The way the court is stacked, can anyone honestly believe that the Second Amendment won't be upheld?

Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe said...

It's a certainty that the Second Amendment will be upheld. What are they going to do, rule part of the Constitution unconstitutional?

Jack Gonzo, MD said...

Errr...came out wrong, guess I left out the portion of upholding the individuals right to have firearms.

SayHey Kid said...

Messing with the 2nd amendment is political suicide.

Dewey, Cheatem, & Howe said...

Whatever side loses in this case is going to have a Roe v. Wade-like surge. It'll become a rallying point for the losing side. For liberals, it'll be about "fixing" the Court. For conservatives, it'll be about securing state legislatures in order to protect their "right" to weapons.

SayHey Kid said...

If Fred Thomspon somehow becomes president, what you said DC&H will likely happen.

But hey, at least we found out through stem cell research that its possible to clone without "killing" an embryo.