The Bruen decision means that even widely accepted and eminently sensible laws are suddenly suspect. Take, for example, the federal mandate that bans the possession of guns without legible serial numbers, which help law enforcement solve crimes. A West Virginia judge determined the mandate was unconstitutional because there were no similar laws dating to the 18th century. (A federal judge disagreed and reinstated the law on appeal, but it may still end up at the Supreme Court.) More egregious still, a Texas judge struck down a so-called red flag law, writing that any law barring an individual who has been indicted but not convicted of a crime from obtaining a firearm does not “align” with “this Nation’s historical tradition.” The practical effect of his ruling is to keep guns in the hands of individuals with credible accusations of domestic abuse.
The Bruen decision means that even widely accepted and eminently sensible laws are suddenly suspect. Take, for example, the federal mandate that bans the possession of guns without legible serial numbers, which help law enforcement solve crimes. A West Virginia judge determined the mandate was unconstitutional because there were no similar laws dating to the 18th century. (A federal judge disagreed and reinstated the law on appeal, but it may still end up at the Supreme Court.) More egregious still, a Texas judge struck down a so-called red flag law, writing that any law barring an individual who has been indicted but not convicted of a crime from obtaining a firearm does not “align” with “this Nation’s historical tradition.” The practical effect of his ruling is to keep guns in the hands of individuals with credible accusations of domestic abuse.
