Supreme Court of the United States
Second Amendment Case Tracker
Plain-language updates on gun rights cases before the Supreme Court
Last updated: May 9, 2026Cases tracked: 14Court term: 2025–2026
Being Decided This Term2
The Court has already agreed to hear these cases. Oral arguments have been held and written decisions are expected by late June 2026.
Wolford v. Lopez
No. 24-1046
Can states ban carrying a gun in restaurants, bars, and businesses unless the owner explicitly posts a sign or says guns are welcome?
Where things stand
Oral arguments were heard January 20, 2026. Hawaii's law bans licensed concealed carry holders from bringing a firearm into any business open to the public — restaurant, gas station, store — unless the owner has explicitly allowed it. Gun rights advocates call it the "vampire rule": the gun can only enter if invited. The Solicitor General argued alongside gun owners, opposing Hawaii's law. The Court appeared divided, with conservative justices expressing skepticism about historical analogues Hawaii relied on.
Potential impact
A ruling against Hawaii would make it much harder for states to create blanket "no guns by default" rules for businesses. Similar laws in California, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey could be at risk. This touches every state that issues concealed carry permits — affecting where millions of licensed carriers can lawfully carry in daily life.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Jan 20, 2026Oral argument heard before the Court
- Nov 12, 2025Argument scheduled for January 20, 2026
- Oct 3, 2025Cert granted, limited to Question 1
- Sep 6, 20249th Circuit upheld Hawaii's law
United States v. Hemani
No. 24-1234
Can the federal government prohibit gun ownership for people who regularly use marijuana or other controlled substances?
Where things stand
Oral arguments were heard March 2, 2026. Federal law currently bans anyone who regularly uses illegal drugs — including marijuana — from owning a gun. Ali Hemani, who admitted to using marijuana every other day, was charged under this law. The 5th Circuit struck it down as unconstitutional as applied to him, and the government appealed. Justices across the ideological spectrum appeared skeptical of the broad prohibition. A narrow ruling rather than a full overturn of the law appears most likely.
Potential impact
This directly affects millions of Americans who use marijuana legally under state law but are currently banned from owning a firearm under federal law. A ruling striking down or limiting the ban could remove that prohibition for a large swath of users. A ruling for the government keeps the current law in place.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Mar 2, 2026Oral argument heard before the Court
- Jan 2, 2026Argument scheduled for March 2, 2026
- Oct 20, 2025Cert granted
- Jun 2, 2025Government filed petition for cert
Waiting to Be Accepted or Rejected8
The Court is deciding whether to hear these cases. All dates are from the official SCOTUS docket.
What to watch: As of May 9, 2026, the Court continues to hold all five hardware ban cases without action. The justices appear to be waiting for their decisions in Wolford and Hemani — expected by late June — before acting on these petitions. Duncan and Gator's have now been relisted more than a dozen times each.
Duncan v. Bonta
No. 25-198
California's 10-round magazine limit — can states cap how many rounds a magazine can hold?
Where things stand
The Court has distributed this case to thirteen consecutive conferences without action — one of the longest relist streaks in recent memory. Gun owners in California are protected by a court-issued hold while this plays out, but if cert is denied, that hold lifts and owners could face criminal penalties for possession.
Potential impact
If accepted and ruled unconstitutional, magazine limits in more than a dozen states could be struck down. If the Court declines, California's ban takes full effect and future challenges face a much harder road.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- May 1, 2026Distributed for conference — no action (13th relist)
- Apr 17, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Apr 2, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Nov 21, 2025First distributed for conference
- Aug 15, 2025Petition filed with the Court
Gator's Custom Guns v. Washington
No. 25-153
Washington state's ban on making and selling magazines that hold more than 10 rounds
Where things stand
With 14 consecutive conference appearances, Gator's has the longest active relist streak of any 2A case this term. Washington's law bans the manufacture and sale of standard-capacity magazines — not just possession — making it broader than most state restrictions. The Court is holding it alongside Duncan and both are expected to be acted on together.
Potential impact
A ruling against Washington could undo not just possession limits but commercial restrictions on standard-capacity magazines across multiple states.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- May 1, 2026Distributed for conference — no action (14th relist)
- Apr 17, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Sep 29, 2025First distributed for conference
- Aug 6, 2025Petition filed with the Court
Viramontes v. Cook County
No. 25-238
Cook County's ban on AR-style rifles and similar semi-automatic firearms
Where things stand
Thirteen consecutive conferences with no action. The Court is holding this alongside the two Connecticut AR ban cases (NAGR v. Lamont and Grant v. Higgins) and is expected to act on all three together.
Potential impact
If accepted and ruled unconstitutional, assault-weapon bans in Illinois, California, New York, Maryland, and several other states could be at risk.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Apr 17, 2026Distributed for conference — no action (13th relist)
- Apr 2, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Dec 12, 2025First distributed for conference
- Aug 27, 2025Petition filed with the Court
Nat'l Assoc. for Gun Rights v. Lamont
No. 25-421
Connecticut's ban on AR-15s and other semi-automatic rifles, plus magazines over 10 rounds
Where things stand
The 2nd Circuit upheld Connecticut's ban in August 2025. The Court is holding this alongside companion case Grant v. Higgins (No. 25-566) and will likely act on both simultaneously. Eight consecutive conferences with no action.
Potential impact
A ruling against Connecticut could threaten semi-auto rifle bans nationwide. The Court may take one or both Connecticut cases together, or wait for a better-developed circuit split before weighing in.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Apr 17, 2026Distributed for conference — no action (8th relist)
- Feb 27, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Oct 3, 2025Petition filed with the Court
- Aug 22, 20252nd Circuit upheld Connecticut's ban
Grant v. Higgins
No. 25-566
Connecticut's law making it a felony to possess semi-automatic rifles — including the AR-15 — acquired after April 3, 2013
Where things stand
A companion to NAGR v. Lamont, both challenging Connecticut's assault weapons ban. The 2nd Circuit upheld the law by finding AR-15s are "unusually dangerous" — a conclusion petitioners argue contradicts Bruen and Heller. SCOTUSblog has flagged this as one of the cases most likely to be granted next term.
Potential impact
A favorable ruling would create binding precedent on whether the AR-15 is a constitutionally protected arm. Given Justice Kavanaugh's 2025 statement that the Court "should and presumably will" address the AR-15 issue soon, a grant here is widely expected.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Apr 24, 2026Distributed for conference — no action (relisted again)
- Apr 17, 2026Distributed for conference — no action
- Feb 20, 2026First distributed for conference
- Nov 7, 2025Petition filed with the Court
Also Pending — Who Can Own a Gun3
These cases ask whether age-based restrictions on buying firearms are constitutional under the Second Amendment.
The core question: Federal law and several state laws bar adults aged 18–20 from buying handguns. These petitioners argue that 18-year-olds — who can vote, sign contracts, and serve in the military — have the same Second Amendment rights as older adults, and that no historical tradition supports singling them out. The Court has been sitting on these cases since late 2025 with no action.
McCoy v. ATF
No. 25-24
Can the federal government ban licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to adults aged 18–20?
Where things stand
Four adults aged 18–20 sued after being blocked from buying handguns under federal law. The district court struck down the ban, but the 4th Circuit reversed in June 2025. The case has been pending at SCOTUS since mid-2025 with no action. The government is in an awkward position: it declined to seek cert after the 5th Circuit struck down the same restriction in Reese v. ATF — creating a direct circuit split.
Potential impact
A ruling for petitioners would allow 18–20-year-olds to purchase handguns from licensed dealers nationwide. This affects millions of young adults and will shape how courts apply Bruen's history-and-tradition test to age-based gun laws.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Nov 2025Distributed for conference — held with companion cases
- Jul 2025Petition for certiorari filed
- Jun 18, 20254th Circuit reversed district court, upholding federal age ban
W.V. Citizens Defense League v. ATF
No. 25-132
A companion challenge to the federal handgun sales ban for 18–20-year-olds, brought by a gun rights organization
Where things stand
Because individual plaintiffs in age-restriction cases age out of the lawsuit when they turn 21, West Virginia Citizens Defense League filed this companion petition as an organization — which has no age — ensuring the challenge won't become moot. Filed August 2025, held at SCOTUS alongside McCoy with no action.
Potential impact
Same stakes as McCoy. WVCDL is considered by some legal observers to be a cleaner vehicle because it avoids class-certification questions raised in McCoy and has a more developed factual record.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Nov 2025Distributed for conference — held alongside McCoy
- Aug 2025Petition for certiorari filed
- Jun 18, 20254th Circuit upheld federal age ban in McCoy (controlling precedent)
Paris v. Second Amendment Foundation
No. 24-1329
Do state laws requiring gun buyers to be at least 21 violate the Second Amendment rights of 18–20-year-olds?
Where things stand
While McCoy and WVCDL challenge the federal age restriction, this case targets state-level age-21 minimums. It has been pending at SCOTUS since early 2025 with no action. The Court is holding it alongside the federal age cases and may address all of them together.
Potential impact
A ruling striking down state age-21 minimums would affect laws in California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, and others. Combined with a favorable ruling in McCoy or WVCDL, it would broadly restore Second Amendment rights for 18–20-year-olds across both state and federal law.
Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)
- Nov 2025Distributed for conference — held alongside McCoy and WVCDL
- Early 2025Petition for certiorari filed
Court Declined to Hear4
These cases asked the Supreme Court to intervene but were turned away. The lower court rulings stand.
What "cert denied" means: The Court receives thousands of petitions each year and only accepts roughly 60–80 cases. A denial is not a ruling on the merits — it simply means the Court chose not to hear the case. Four justices must vote to accept ("grant cert") for a case to move forward. When the Court refuses, the most recent lower court ruling becomes the final word.
Gardner v. Maryland
No. 25-5961
Can a state prosecute an out-of-state visitor for carrying a handgun, even when she has a valid permit from her home state and was acting lawfully under its laws?
What happened
Eva Gardner, a Virginia resident with a valid Virginia concealed carry permit, was driving through Maryland when another driver struck her car twice on I-270 and approached her vehicle aggressively. She displayed her handgun. Maryland prosecutors charged and convicted her of carrying without a Maryland permit — a crime she couldn't avoid because Maryland does not recognize Virginia permits. The Court denied cert on April 22, 2026, leaving her conviction and Maryland's approach to out-of-state carriers in place.
What it means going forward
The denial was widely criticized in the gun rights community. There is still no national standard for concealed carry reciprocity — a lawful act in one state can be a felony the moment a driver crosses into another. The issue will eventually return to the Court; this denial simply means it won't be resolved in the current term.
Key dates
- Apr 22, 2026Cert denied — Maryland conviction stands
- Dec 2025Petition for certiorari filed
- 2025Maryland Court of Appeals denied appeal
- 2022Montgomery County jury convicted Gardner
Schoenthal v. Raoul
No. 25-541
Illinois's ban on carrying a firearm on public transit — buses, trains, and the subway — even with a valid concealed carry permit
What happened
The Court denied cert on April 6, 2026, leaving Illinois's public transit carry ban in place. The 7th Circuit had upheld the ban in September 2025, calling crowded public transit a "sensitive place" where carry restrictions are permitted under Bruen. No justice wrote to explain the denial or dissent from it.
What it means going forward
Illinois's transit carry ban stands. The denial also leaves unresolved a major open question from Bruen: what exactly qualifies as a "sensitive place" where states can restrict carry. That issue will continue to percolate in lower courts and is likely to return to SCOTUS in a future case.
Key dates
- Apr 6, 2026Cert denied — Illinois transit carry ban stands
- Mar 20, 2026Distributed for conference
- Oct 31, 2025Petition filed with the Court
- Sep 2, 20257th Circuit upheld Illinois's transit carry ban
Snope v. Brown
No. 24-869
Does the Second Amendment protect the right to own AR-15s and other semi-automatic rifles?
What happened
After being relisted 15 times, the Court denied cert on June 2, 2025, letting Maryland's ban on AR-15s and similar rifles stand. The Fourth Circuit had upheld the ban by ruling that such rifles are not protected "arms" under the Second Amendment — a conclusion critics say directly contradicts Bruen. No majority wrote to explain the denial.
What it means going forward
Maryland's ban remains in effect. The denial was a significant setback for gun rights advocates, but the issue is far from settled — Viramontes, NAGR v. Lamont, and Grant v. Higgins (above) are now the main vehicles pushing this question back to the Court.
Justice Thomas dissented, writing he "would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America." Justice Kavanaugh wrote separately that the Court should wait "a Term or two" for lower courts to further develop the issue — and that there is a "strong argument" the AR-15 is constitutionally protected.
Key dates
- Jun 2, 2025Cert denied — Thomas dissents, Kavanaugh writes separately
- Feb 2025Relisted for the 15th consecutive conference
- Aug 20244th Circuit upheld Maryland's semi-auto rifle ban
Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island
No. 24-918
Does Rhode Island's ban on magazines holding more than 10 rounds violate the Second Amendment?
What happened
Denied on the same day as Snope, June 2, 2025. The First Circuit had ruled against the challengers by holding that the ban on standard-capacity magazines does not place a "meaningful burden" on the right to keep and bear arms — a test critics say has no basis in Bruen. Rhode Island's magazine ban remains in effect.
What it means going forward
Together with Snope, this was a deeply discouraging day for gun rights advocates. The issue stays alive through Duncan v. Bonta and Gator's Custom Guns (above), which remain pending before the Court.
Key dates
- Jun 2, 2025Cert denied alongside Snope v. Brown
- 20241st Circuit upheld Rhode Island's magazine ban