Two Potential Losses for Second Amendment Advocates [View all]

Two cases that are of interest to those who advocate for the individual right to keep and bear arms are kicking around in my neck of the woods. The first involves the District of Columbia's law that requires a concealed carry applicant to show "good reason" for needing to carry. A federal district court judge ruled yesterday that DC could continue to enforce the law while a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality was pending. The plaintiffs immediately appealed to the DC Circuit Court. Story here - https://www.channelone.com/news_post/judge-sides-with-dc-in-ongoing-lawsuit-over-gun-law/

And late last week the Fourth Circuit agreed to an en banc rehearing of a panel decision from a month or so ago that held Maryland's "assault weapon" ban should be reviewed under a "strict scrutiny" standard, the most demanding level of judicial review. Other federal courts have applied a less demanding standard of review and have upheld similar laws. Since the court accepted en banc review I expect it to hold that a less demanding standard applies. Store here - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/assault-weapons-maryland_us_56d9ed4ce4b0000de4048c82