Supreme Court Denies Cert in Illinois “Assault Weapons” Case

For now, the United States Supreme Court has declined to take up the “assault weapons” ban case in Illinois, Gun Owners of America v. Kwame Raoul, Attorney General of Illinois.

However, despite the denial of cert (meaning a request for the high court to take the case immediately), it wasn’t all bad news as Justice Clarence Thomas indicated an interest in the Supreme Court taking up the case once a final judgment was issued from the lower courts.

Thomas said about the case,

But, if the Seventh Circuit ultimately allows Illinois
to ban America’s most common civilian rifle, we can—and
should—review that decision once the cases reach a final
judgment. The Court must not permit “the Seventh Circuit
[to] relegat[e] the Second Amendment to a second-class
right.”

Citation

To me, this sounds like good news. I am fairly confident gun owners will ultimately prevail at the U.S. Supreme Court and that banning these weapons will be found unconstitutional.

Given the opinion from the bump stock ban, it appears the Justices will not let the emotions of a tragedy cloud their judgment on what is or is not constitutional. But you never know since the Justices have also come down on the wrong side of other 2nd Amendment issues.

Gun Owners of America has not yet released a statement on the denial of cert.