On June 21, 2024, in United States v. Rahimi, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal statute prohibiting individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing a firearm. This ruling limited the scope of a Supreme Court decision in 2022—New York State Rifle and Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen—that expanded gun rights in situations where a criminal defendant is considered dangerous. Now, courts may uphold gun laws that do not have a direct historic analogue. Most significantly, this ruling disarms people who are known to be dangerous to those they are closest to. Research shows that the risk of a homicide increases by 500% if a gun is present in a domestic violence situation. The Supreme Court’s decision preserves important protection for some of society’s most vulnerable people.
-by Chris Costantino & John Wuest
