Second Amendment: Research

Title: Second Amendment Fantasy: The Brady Center’s Critique of the Parker v District of Columbia Decision

Publication date: December 2007

What does it say? The Center has published a 60-page critique of the D.C. Circuit ruling that the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns is a violation of the Second Amendment.  If the Supreme Court affirms that lower court ruling courts could be granted unprecedented authority to nullify the decisions of elected officials to adopt measures they believe are needed to protect their communities from gun violence.

How can I use it? The oral argument in the case will occur in March 2008.  It is very important to provide these materials to the media in your state covering this historic case and to engage in the public debate about the case.  The Brady Center’s critique of the lower court ruling, along with the friend of the court brief filed by the Brady Center , can help reporters learn quickly the issues presented by the case.   Finally, the other “friend of the court” briefs submitted in the case have updated problem statements on gun violence, along with other factual material that could be cited in fact sheets.

Citation: DH Henigan, BJ Siebel, J Lowy, DR Vice. Second Amendment Fantasy: The Brady Center’s Critique of the Parker v District of Columbia Decision (Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington, DC: 2007)