Quote of the Day
So, what to do? I have a suggestion. The Supreme Court should consider summarily reversing some of our wayward Second Amendment decisions. To put it more colloquially, it’s time for some benchslaps. Nothing less will give this court any pause before ultimately blessing every arms restriction it reviews.
Lawrence VanDyke
Circuit Judge
9th Circuit Court
July 16, 2026
Knife Rights v. Bonta
I like the translation he gives for the meaning of a benchslap.
These sterile descriptions, while accurate, don’t fully capture the stinging impact of a summary reversal. When the Supreme Court summarily reverses, it’s essentially sending a clear (if harsh) message to a lower court:
Dear lower court:
Your decision sucks…. And it sucks so badly, it isn’t even worth a closer look.
Kindly re-do it.
Regards,
The Supreme Court
This is language in a Federal Appeals Court decision I never expected to see in my lifetime.
It also surprises me that he has a civil engineering degree and grew up in Bozeman Montana.
Benchslaps are the only solution available to us. There need to be a lot of them and not just on gun law. But Roberts and his mini-me are weak and content to let lower courts continue their insurrection.