Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Gun Control Laws

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Short, sweet, and to the point? Hardly. Gun control and the intended scope of the Second Amendment continues to be a hot button issue. Much of the debate involves whether this right extends to individuals or only to the State. 

In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the meaning "of 'bear arms,' as used in the Second Amendment, means wear, bear, or carry upon the person or in the clothing or in a pocket, for the purpose of being armed and ready for offensive or defensive action in a case of conflict with another person. District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008)

Statutory laws vary widely by state. You are probably familiar with your own state's laws. If you are curious about other states' laws on this topic, Findlaw has collected the criminal laws from all 50 states, with a quick summary of the statute.


One of my favorite resources for comparing laws is the 50 state survey. If your library happens to have a subscription to HeinOnline, you may have access to the National Survey of State Laws.  The format is tailored for easy comparison, with no extra clicking. If you are a member of our law school, you can access it remotely with your patron credentials. The public and our alums may view this source while visiting the Law Library.

If you are curious about laws in other countries, Library of Congress published a 2013 report that examines the legal approach to gun control—including ownership and possession, licensing and registration, background checks, training, storage, weapons bans, and related issues—in  Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, the Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the European Union.

In the United States, for the most part, this issue is sharply divided along party lines. Interested in finding out how the presidential candidates feel about gun control, among other issues? You can compare Presidential candidates' positions at

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous8/03/2016

    Isn't it pathetic that the same libbys who are "journalists" and would screen if anyone came near the first....and yet they throw the second under the bus....GENTLEMEN...I know your mom taught you to see sitting down, but it is ok to not be a fussy. Ever even try shooting a gun? Without the second...the first has little protection