Third Circuit Rules New Jersey Assault Weapons Ban Unconstitutional, Timing Raises Questions
On July 17, 2026, the en banc Third Circuit ruled in Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs v. Attorney General of New Jersey that the state's ban on 'assault firearms' and large-capacity magazines violates the Second Amendment. The majority opinion was written by Biden appointee Judge Arianna Freeman. Judge Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, also a Biden appointee, concurred but expressed reservations about the timing, noting the Supreme Court had granted certiorari on June 30 in similar cases from Illinois and Connecticut (Viramontes). She stated she saw little reason to decide the case now but joined the majority. The article explores the procedural chronology: the case was argued in July 2025, en banc argued in October 2025, and decided after the Supreme Court unexpectedly granted cert after 21 relists. The author suggests the Third Circuit likely expected cert to be denied and proceeded to write opinions, but the grant created a dilemma. Judge Paul Matey's scholarly concurrence is also praised.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page itself is projected from evidence records.
- Current automated evidence projection