Court Strikes Down California's Open Carry Gun Ban

A U.S. appeals court ruled California's ban on open carry firearms unconstitutional, citing historical precedent and the Supreme Court's 2022 gun rights decision. The state law violated the Second Amendment in counties with over 200,000 people but retained licensing rules for less populated areas.

A U.S. appeals court has declared California's ban on open carry firearms unconstitutional, ruling that the law violated the Second Amendment rights of residents in densely populated counties. The panel's decision challenges one of the nation's strictest gun-control statutes.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, found that the state's prohibition against open carry in counties with more than 200,000 people was inconsistent with the Constitution's historical framework. This decision reverses a previous lower court ruling and aligns with a landmark 2022 Supreme Court verdict.

Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who delivered the opinion, highlighted that open carry is embedded in American tradition, pre-dating the Bill of Rights. The ruling affects about 95% of California's population but maintains licensing requirements for open carry permits in less populated areas. Critics argue the decision partially supports ongoing legal debates on firearm regulations.