Summary: Federal Second Amendment lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania's ban on the right to bear arms as to young adults.

Plaintiffs: Madison Lara; Sophia Knepley; Logan Miller; Second Amendment Foundation (SAF); Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc. (FPC)

Defendants: Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris

Litigation Counsel: Joshua Prince, Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C.; John D. Ohlendorf, Peter A. Patterson, and David H. Thompson of Cooper & Kirk

Docket: W.D. PA case no. 2:20-cv-01582, Third Circuit case no. 21-1832, Supreme Court case no. 24-93 | CourtListener Docket

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Key Events & Filings:

Circuit Court

• 2025-2-26: Sur Petition for Rehearing
  
• 2025-2-10: Petition for Panel Rehearing, or, Alternatively, Rehearing En Banc
• 2025-1-13: Opinion
• 2024-12-2: Supplemental Response Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
• 2024-12-2: Appellee’s Post-Remand Supplemental Cross-Response Brief Addressing United States v. Rahimi
• 2024-11-25: Appellee’s Post-Remand Supplemental Brief Addressing United States v. Rahimi
• 2024-11-25: Supplemental Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
• 2024-11-18: Order
• 2024-11-4: Commissioner’s Reply in Support of Motion to Remand to the District Court for Further Proceedings
• 2024-10-29: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Opposition to the Commissioner’s Motion to Remand
• 2024-10-17: Commissioner’s Motion to Remand to the District Court for Further Proceedings

Supreme Court

• 2024-10-15: 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 Third Circuit for further consideration in light of United States v. Rahimi, 602 U. S. ___ (2024).
• 2024-9-18: DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/11/2024.
• 2024-9-10: Reply Brief for the Petitioner
• 2024-8-29: Brief for the Respondents
• 2024-7-25: Cert Petition
• 2024-5-6: Application (23A980) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until July 25, 2024.
• 2024-5-3: Application for Extension of Time to File a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

District Court

• 2024-4-26: Order of Court
• 2024-4-26: Emergency Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment Under Fed. R.Civ. P. 59(E), or in the Alternative a Motion for Reconsideration Under Fed. R.Civ. P. 60(B)
• 2024-4-24: Order of Court

Circuit Court

• 2024-3-27: Sur Petition for Rehearing
• 2024-2-22: Brief of Amici Curiae Illinois, Delaware, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington in Support of Defendant-Appellee’s Petition for Rehearing or Rehearing En Banc
• 2024-2-15: Commissioner’s Petition for Panel Rehearing, or, Alternatively, Rehearing En Banc
• 2024-1-25: TEXT ONLY ORDER (Clerk) granting Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Rehearing filed by Appellee Commissioner Pennsylvania State Police. Appellee's petition for rehearing must be filed on or before February 15, 2024.
• 2024-1-23: Appellees’ Motion for Extension of Time to File a Petition for Rehearing
• 2024-1-18: Opinion
• 2023-6-28: Oral Arguments
• 2023-6-27: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Reply in Support of Motion to Supplement the Record
• 2023-6-20: Response in Opposition to Appellants’ Motion to Supplement the Record
• 2023-6-12: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Motion to Supplement the Record
• 2023-6-9: 28(j) Letter
• 2023-3-20: Response to 28(j) Letter
• 2023-3-13: 28(j) Letter
• 2022-8-8: Reply Letter Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
• 2022-8-8: Appellee’s Reply to Appellants’ Letter Brief
• 2022-8-1: Letter Brief of Everytown for Gun Safety as Amicus Curiae in Support of Defendant-Appellee
• 2022-7-25: Supplemental Brief
• 2022-7-25: Opening Letter Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
• 2022-7-5: Order Requesting Additional Briefs
• 2022-6-30: 28(j) Letter
• 2022-1-4: Order Holding Case
• 2021-11-18: Supplemental Response Brief
• 2021-11-18: Supplemental Brief
• 2021-10-13: Reply Brief
• 2021-9-29: States' Amicus Brief
• 2021-9-23: 28(j) Letter
• 2021-9-22: Brief for Appellee
• 2021-6-23: Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants

District Court

• 2021-4-23: Notice of Appeal
• 2021-4-16: Opinion
• 2021-2-1: Opposition to Motion to Dismiss
• 2021-1-15: Reply in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction
• 2021-1-8: Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction
• 2021-1-8: Motion to Dismiss
• 2020-12-1: Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Expedited/Consolidated Trial
• 2020-10-16: Complaint
• 2020-10-16: Exhibit List

Related News Releases:

• 2025-1-15: FPC WIN: Third Circuit Again Strikes Down Pennsylvania Young Adult Carry Ban
• 2024-11-27: FPC Files Third Circuit Brief in Age-Based Gun Ban Case
• 2024-8-29: FPC Supreme Court Brief Explains Why Third Circuit Age-Based Gun Ban Decision Should Be Left in Place
• 2024-4-25: FPC WIN: Pennsylvania Handgun Carry Ban Blocked in FPC Second Amendment Lawsuit
• 2024-1-18: FPC WIN: Third Circuit Strikes Down Pennsylvania Young Adult Carry Ban
• 2022-7-28: FPC Files New Brief in Lawsuit Challenging Pennsylvania Young Adult Handgun Carry Ban
• 2021-6-30: FPC Files Opening Brief in Second Amendment Lawsuit Challenging Pennsylvania’s Ban on Firearm Carry by Adults Under 21
• 2020-12-1: FPC Files Motion for Injunction, Seeks Expedited Trial in Second Amendment Lawsuit Challenging Pennsylvania’s Ban on Firearm Carry by 18-20-year-old Adults
• 2020-10-16: FPC Continues Fight for 2A Rights of Young Adults in New Federal Lawsuit Challenging Pennsylvania Carry Ban