Citation

Cooke E. J. Firearms Public Policy 2007; 19(1): 1-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Second Amendment Foundation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article summarizes federal cases decided over the past three years that have affected the right to keep and bear arms. Although some of the cases do not directly involve the Second Amendment, they each have at least some bearing on the rights protected by it.

Several cases analyze the federal felon-in-possession statute, and notably, the Supreme Court’s clarification of that statute’s provisions. Many other cases consider the debate concerning the Second Amendment as an individual or a collective right.

The cases discussed were decided by the federal circuit courts of appeal, or by the Supreme Court. The circuit courts interpret federal law for their particular region, until such time as the Supreme Court clarifies laws for the entire federal system. The cases are organized by circuit and include those that were decided between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2006.