In MD
The “assault weapons” case is going before the full court:
A three-judge panel last month sided with gun-rights advocates when, for the first time, it determined that owning semiautomatic firearms such as AR-15s and AK-47s amounts to a “fundamental right” deserving the highest level of protection under the Constitution.
“In our view, Maryland law implicates the core protection of the Second Amendment — the right of law-abiding responsible citizens to use arms in defense of hearth and home,” wrote Chief Judge William Traxler in the divided ruling.
But in a brief order Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit effectively wiped out that earlier decision and agreed to rehear the case “en banc,” which means all the judges in active service on the court — 15 in total — will hold a hearing jointly and decide the case anew.
The court set oral arguments in the case, known as Kolbe v. Hogan, for May 11.
I’m guessing, since it is MD, this is not a good development.
March 8th, 2016 at 12:02 am
The 4th Circuit doesn’t solely include Maryland. It includes WV, VA, NC, and SC. It’s not a friendly circuit for gun control. It will very likely affirm the panel decision. It’s certainly no 9th Circuit.
March 8th, 2016 at 8:58 pm
I doubt that the rehearing en banc would have happened had we not lost Scalia.
Just a suspicion.