New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen.
The Supreme Court ruled that New York's proper-cause requirement for carrying handguns in public violates the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision emphasizes that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to carry arms for self-defense in public. The Court rejected the two-step framework used by lower courts, focusing instead on historical context and constitutional text.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen.
The Court held that New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by restricting law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights to carry arms in public for self-defense.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Substantive Due Process is relevant to New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen
The Court's decision involves the application of the Second Amendment right through the Fourteenth Amendment, implicating substantive due process.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Held: New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defense.
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Why Equal Protection is relevant to New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen
The case involves the application of the Second Amendment right to all law-abiding citizens, suggesting an equal protection component under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not 'a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.'
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen that support the summary and concepts above.
New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Second Amendment guarantees an 'individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation.'
The Court rejects that two-part approach as having one step too many.
