Arianna J. Freeman

A federal appellate court struck down New Jersey’s assault weapons ban on Second Amendment grounds, marking the first such ruling in a case that could influence similar laws in other states. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals decision, led by Judge Arianna Freeman, cited U.S. Supreme Court precedents as grounds for invalidating the law, potentially affecting Delaware, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and pending cases in Illinois and Connecticut. The Supreme Court will hear challenges to assault weapons bans later this year, with a ruling expected by 2027.

A federal appeals court ruled New Jersey's ban on semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, expanding a prior lower court decision to cover all semiautomatic rifles. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, citing Supreme Court precedents like Heller and Bruen, concluded New Jersey failed to justify its restrictions as consistent with historical firearm regulation. The National Rifle Association hailed the decision as a 'historic victory' after years of litigation.

The Third Circuit ruled 10-5 that New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines is unconstitutional, citing the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision requiring historical analogs for Second Amendment restrictions. The majority found no sufficient historical precedent for the ban, while the dissent argued that such weapons are too dangerous for constitutional protection.