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Which District of Columbia gun laws were challenged in District of Columbia v. Heller?
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Second Amendment
The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the plaintiffs challenged three specific provisions of the District of Columbia’s Firearms Control Regulation Act of 1975:1
- Handgun Registration Ban: A general prohibition on the registration of handguns.1
- Carrying Prohibition: A ban on carrying unlicensed handguns or any other "deadly or dangerous" weapon capable of being concealed.1
- Storage Requirement: A mandate that all lawfully stored firearms be kept disassembled or locked to prevent them from being fired.1
The Supreme Court ultimately affirmed an appellate court ruling that struck down the first and third provisions and limited the enforcement of the second, establishing that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess firearms for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.12