Schoenthal v. Raoul
Cert Denied — Apr 6, 2026No. 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, 2026 Cert denied — Illinois transit carry ban stands
- Mar 20, 2026 Distributed for conference
- Oct 31, 2025 Petition filed with the Court
- Sep 2, 2025 7th Circuit upheld Illinois's transit carry ban