Quote of the Day
The ban on commercial pistol sales to 18-to-20-year-olds will likely go unenforced in parts of the country following a Trump Administration decision not to further pursue one case against it.
On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) quietly allowed a deadline to file an appeal with the Supreme Court in the case Reese v. ATF to pass. As a result, a unanimous January decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals–which covers Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana–will stand. The panel held that a combination of federal statutes banning licensed firearm dealers from selling pistols to young adults violates the Second Amendment.
Jake Fogleman
July 1, 2025
DOJ Declines to Appeal Ruling Against Federal Handgun Purchase Ban for Adults Under 21 | The Reload
Just two weeks ago, the Fourth Circuit Court upheld the same law.
I suspect progun groups will appeal the Fourth Circuit decision and SCOTUS will probably accept the request for cert. This will probably result in a resolution by June of 2026.
What I want to know is how will the 4473’s be handled until SCOTUS resolves the issue? Will there be a special “Fifth Circuit” 4473? Will the DOJ announce they will decline to prosecute until the circuit split is resolved?
We live in interesting times.
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I think, in light of the last Court decision that each State within in those two Circuit districts are ‘bound’ by the law as interpreted by their Court. All the other States may continue to behave as they like. Obviously in each and every jurisdiction it is entirely up to the weasel DA whether or not charges are brought unless a Federal Attorney makes that decision and almost all of them are weasels too.