{"id":2631254,"date":"2026-07-17T16:05:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-declares-new-jersey-assault-weapons-ban-unconstitutional\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T16:10:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T20:10:57","slug":"court-declares-new-jersey-assault-weapons-ban-unconstitutional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-declares-new-jersey-assault-weapons-ban-unconstitutional\/","title":{"rendered":"Court declares New Jersey &#8216;assault weapons&#8217; ban unconstitutional"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcourt-declares-new-jersey-assault-weapons-ban-unconstitutional%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2631254&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal appeals court has invalidated New jersey\u2019s longstanding ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, ruling that these restrictions violate the Second Amendment. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 10-5 decision, expanded the scope of the state&#8217;s regulations to include AR-15-style rifles and magazines holding more than 10 rounds, citing the Supreme Court\u2019s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle &#038; Pistol Association v. Bruen, which emphasizes analyzing gun laws based on ancient firearm regulation traditions. The court concluded that the broad restrictions do not align with this historical standard and thus cannot be upheld.New Jersey originally implemented its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/9th-circuit-blocks-lower-courts-overturning-of-californias-assault-weapons-ban\/\" title=\"9th Circuit Blocks Lower ...\u2019s Overturning Of California\u2019s ... ...\">assault weapons law<\/a> in 1990 following a mass shooting, banning certain semi-automatic firearms and lowering magazine capacity to 10 rounds in 2018. This ruling marks a significant win for gun rights advocates and raises legal questions about the constitutionality of similar bans in other states, especially as the Supreme Court prepares to hear cases challenging bans in Illinois and Connecticut. The Department of Justice recently sued Virginia over its assault weapons law, alleging it unconstitutionally bans AR-15-style firearms, signaling ongoing legal battles over state gun restrictions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal appeals court on Friday struck down <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-jersey\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1065\">New Jersey\u2019s<\/a> decades-old ban on so-called <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/assault-weapons\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2501\">assault weapons<\/a> and large-capacity magazines, ruling that the state\u2019s restrictions on AR-15-style <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/guns-and-firearms\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"780\">rifles<\/a> and magazines holding more than 10 rounds violate the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/second-amendment\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1043\">Second Amendment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 10-5 decision that New Jersey\u2019s restrictions cannot survive the historical test established by the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/supreme-court\/\">Supreme Court\u2019s<\/a> 2022 <em>New York State Rifle &#038; Pistol Association v. Bruen<\/em>, which held that modern <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gun-control\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"345\">gun restrictions<\/a> should follow \u201cthis nation\u2019s \u200bhistorical tradition of \u2060firearm regulation.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4653620\/new-jersey-assault-weapon-ban-unconstitutional\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Court declares New Jersey \u2018assault weapons\u2019 ban unconstitutional<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4653131\/appeals-court-hearing-date-dismissal-james-comey-letitia-james-cases\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Appeals court sets September hearing over dismissal of James Comey and Letitia James cases<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4653352\/gavin-newsom-hires-abbe-lowell-federal-inquiry-justice-department\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Newsom hires high-profile defense lawyer to help with federal inquiry into him and his wife<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Writing for the majority, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/courts\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"439\">court<\/a> agreed with a lower court\u2019s decision that New Jersey\u2019s ban on AR-15 rifles violated the Second Amendment, and expanded that ruling to cover the broader class of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dems-unconstitutional-gun-bill-would-jail-law-abiding-virginians-2\/\" title=\"Dems&#039; &#039;Unconstitutional&#039; Gun Bill Would Jail Law-Abiding ...ns\">semiautomatic center-fire rifles<\/a>. The court also reversed the lower court\u2019s decision upholding the state\u2019s 10-round magazine limit, concluding that those restrictions likewise violate the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/constitution\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"424\">Constitution<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Jersey enacted its assault weapons law in 1990 following a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mass-shooting\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11218\">mass shooting<\/a> at a California elementary school. The law banned dozens of semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns, as well as firearms deemed \u201csubstantially identical\u201d to those models. In 2018, the state tightened its magazine restrictions, lowering the legal capacity from 15 rounds to 10.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ruling marks a significant victory for gun rights advocates and adds to growing legal uncertainty surrounding state assault weapons bans after the high court\u2019s 2022 decision.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4632461\/doj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-assault-weapon-ban\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4632461\/doj-files-lawsuit-against-virginia-assault-weapon-ban\/\">DOJ FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST VIRGINIA OVER \u2018ASSAULT WEAPON\u2019 BAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ruling comes just weeks after the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"167\">Justice Department<\/a> sued Virginia over its newly enacted assault weapons law, arguing the measure unconstitutionally bans the purchase and sale of AR-15-style firearms. The Trump administration has filed similar Second Amendment lawsuits against several blue states as part of an effort to challenge state gun restrictions in federal court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court is already preparing to hear challenges to similar assault weapons bans in Illinois and Connecticut during its upcoming term, cases that are expected to determine whether states may continue prohibiting AR-15-style rifles and other semiautomatic guns nationwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Court strikes down NJ assault weapons ban, citing Second Amendment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2631255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP23292767272883.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33740,50385,4431,33096,32209],"class_list":["post-2631254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-court-ruling","tag-gun-control-2","tag-legal","tag-new-jersey","tag-second-amendment"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP23292767272883.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2631254"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2631258,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631254\/revisions\/2631258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2631255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2631254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2631254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2631254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}