A U.S. appeals court has ruled that a longstanding federal ban preventing licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. The decision, issued by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, comes amid a shifting legal landscape influenced by recent Supreme Court rulings expanding gun rights.
This marks the first time a federal appeals court has declared the prohibition a violation of the Second Amendment. The ruling follows the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which established that modern firearm regulations must align with historical traditions of gun laws in the United States.
The restriction, originally passed by Congress in 1968, had been upheld by the same appeals court in 2012. However, the latest decision found no substantial historical precedent for restricting gun rights based on age.
A coalition of young adults, supported by gun rights organizations, challenged the ban in 2020, arguing it unlawfully limited their constitutional freedoms. U.S. Circuit Judge Edith Jones, writing for the panel, concluded that individuals aged 18 to 20 are part of “the people” protected by the Second Amendment. She criticized the Justice Department’s defense of the law, stating it failed to provide sufficient historical justification for such restrictions.
Gun rights advocates hailed the ruling as a significant victory, while federal officials have yet to comment on the decision or indicate whether they will seek further legal action.
