Overview
- A Washington County circuit judge, Jeffrey L. Campbell, amended a preliminary injunction on July 8 to state it will bar enforcement of Virginia’s new bans on certain semiautomatic rifles and large-capacity magazines across the state beginning July 21.
- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has challenged the judge’s statewide reach and the state Supreme Court refused a request to consolidate four separate lawsuits, so the cases will proceed in different counties.
- Plaintiffs in four Virginia jurisdictions argue the laws violate Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution and at least one suit also raises a federal Second Amendment claim; the Justice Department was reported on July 1 to have filed a separate federal challenge.
- A federal appeals court upheld Illinois’ assault-weapons and large-capacity magazine ban in a 2–1 July 9 decision, and the U.S. Supreme Court has granted review of consolidated Cook County and Connecticut cases to be argued this fall.
- The near-term result is a patchwork of enforcement and fast-moving appeals that could leave gun owners and local law enforcement uncertain about what is legal until Virginia’s state courts, federal appeals and ultimately the Supreme Court resolve the disputes.