Breaking News: Supreme Court Strikes Down DC Handgun Ban

11:16 A.M.The Supreme Court has upheld the right to individual gun ownership in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290).

11:26 A.M. Download the opinion here (PDF Link)

11:31 A.M. Here are some selected quotes from the majority (via SCOTUS blog) from the slip opinion:

“Whatever the reason, handguns are the most popular weapon chosen by Americans for self-defense in the home, and a complete prohibition of their use is invalid.”

“In sum, we hold that the District’s ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense. Assuming that Heller is not disqualified from the exercise of Second Amendment rights, the District must permit him to register his handgun and must issue him a license to carry it in the home.”

For the only other case that tackles the scope of the Second Amendment, see United States v. Miller (on our sister site, The Public Library of Law). ... the case is from 1939.

Good article on the WSJ Law Blog about why the ruling won't make much difference in DC any time soon (upshot: even if it's legal to possess a handgun, it's not legal to carry one across state lines, and there are no stores authorized or zoned to sell handguns in DC -- at least for now).

What are your thoughts on this ruling? Let us know in the comments!

Sources: Reuters, WSJ Law Blog