Summary: Federal lawsuit challenging Maryland "assault weapons" ban as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment

Plaintiffs: David Snope, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Second Amendment Foundation, and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Defendants: Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, Maryland Secretary of State Police of Col. Roland L. Butler, Baltimore County Sheriff R. Jay Fisher, and Anne Arundel County Sheriff Everett L. Sesker

Litigation Counsel: Nicole J. Moss, William V. Bergstrom, Peter A. Patterson, and David H. Thompson of Cooper & Kirk; Raymond M. DiGuiseppe

Docket: D. MD case no. 1:20-cv-03495, Fourth Circuit case no. 21-1255, Supreme Court case nos. 21-902, 23-863, and 24-203 | CourtListener Docket

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Key Events & Filings:

Supreme Court

• 2025-6-2: Petition DENIED. Justice Thomas, Justice Alito, and Justice Gorsuch would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari.
• 2025-5-27: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/29/2025.
• 2025-5-19: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/22/2025.
• 2025-5-12: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/15/2025.
• 2025-4-28: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/2/2025.
• 2025-4-21: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/25/2025.
• 2025-4-14: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2025.
• 2025-3-31: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/4/2025.
• 2025-3-24: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/28/2025.
• 2025-3-17: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/21/2025.
• 2025-3-3: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/7/2025.
• 2025-2-24: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/28/2025.
• 2025-2-14: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2025.
• 2025-1-21: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/24/2025.
• 2025-1-13: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2025.
• 2025-1-6: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
• 2024-12-11: Rescheduled.
• 2024-11-26: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/13/2024.
• 2024-11-25: Reply Brief for Petitioners
• 2024-11-12: Brief in Opposition
• 2024-8-21: Petition for Writ of Certiorari

Supreme Court

• 2024-5-20: The petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment is denied.
• 2024-4-30: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/16/2024.
• 2024-4-25: Reply Brief for Petitioners
• 2024-4-12: Brief in Opposition
• 2024-2-8: Petition for Writ of Certiorari

Court of Appeals

• 2024-8-6: Opinion
• 2024-3-20: En Banc Oral Arguments
• 2024-3-19: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-3-18: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-3-12: Supplemental Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
• 2024-3-12: Supplemental Brief of Appellees
• 2024-3-5: Order
• 2024-2-29: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-2-28: Brief of Everytown for Gun Safety as Amicus Curiae in Support of Defendants-Appellees and Affirmance
• 2024-2-16: Brief of [Proposed] Amici Curiae Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and March For Our Lives in Support of Defendants-Appellees
• 2024-1-12: Order
• 2022-12-6: Oral Arguments
• 2022-11-30: 28(j) Letter
• 2022-10-31: Supplemental Reply Brief
• 2022-10-21: CASE CALENDARED for oral argument. Date: 12/06/2022. Session Starting Time: 9:30 am.
• 2022-10-19: Supplemental Brief of Appellees
• 2022-8-22: Supplemental Opening Brief
• 2022-8-1: Supplemental Briefing Order
• 2022-8-1: Order
• 2022-8-1: Case reopened. Supreme Court Remand.

Supreme Court

• 2022-8-1: Judgment
• 2022-6-30: The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted. The judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for further consideration in light of New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U. S. ___ (2022).
• 2022-4-29: Reply Brief for Petitioners
• 2022-4-15: Brief in Opposition
• 2022-1-26: Brief of Arizona, West Virginia, and Twenty-Three Other States as Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioners
• 2021-12-16: Cert Petition

Court of Appeals

• 2021-9-17: Opinion
• 2021-6-2: Brief of Appellees
• 2021-4-19: Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants

District Court

• 2021-3-5: Notice of Appeal
• 2021-3-4: Order Dismissing Complaint and Closing Case
• 2021-2-19: Response to Order to Show Cause
• 2021-2-16: Order to Show Cause
• 2021-1-29: Answer of Defendants
• 2020-12-1: Complaint

News Releases:

• 2025-6-02: FPC Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Denial of Certiorari in Challenge to Maryland “Assault Weapons” Ban
• 2024-11-26: FPC Makes Final Appeal to Supreme Court in Maryland “Assault Weapon” Ban Lawsuit
• 2024-8-21: FPC Asks Supreme Court to Take Up “Assault Weapon” Ban Lawsuit
• 2024-8-6: FPC Taking Maryland’s “Assault Weapons” Ban to Supreme Court Following Fourth Circuit Decision
• 2024-3-13: FPC Files Supplemental Brief in Lawsuit Challenging Maryland’s “Assault Weapon” Ban
• 2024-2-8: FPC Asks Supreme Court to Hear Lawsuit Challenging Maryland “Assault Weapon” Ban
• 2022-8-23: FPC Files Supplemental Brief in Lawsuit Challenging Maryland “Assault Weapon” Ban
• 2022-6-30: Supreme Court Vacates Decision Upholding Maryland “Assault Weapon” Ban, Sends FPC Lawsuit Back to Circuit Court
• 2021-12-16: FPC Asks Supreme Court to Strike Down Maryland “Assault Weapons” Ban
• 2021-4-21: FPC Files Opening Brief in Challenge to Maryland “Assault Weapons” Ban
• 2021-3-4: FPC Challenge to Maryland’s “Assault Weapons” Ban Quickly Moves Up to Court of Appeals
• 2020-12-1: FPC Files Lawsuit Challenging Maryland “Assault Weapons” Ban as Unconstitutional