Key facts
- A federal appeals court ruled New Jersey's ban on assault weapons unconstitutional.
- The ban prohibited possession of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and magazines with more than 10 rounds.
- This is the first time a federal appeals court has found an assault weapons ban to be unconstitutional.
- The court determined the ban violated the Second Amendment's protection of the right to bear arms for self-defense.
A federal appeals court has ruled that New Jersey's law banning assault weapons, including AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines holding more than 10 rounds, is unconstitutional. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the ban violates the Second Amendment by infringing upon the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense. This marks the first instance of a federal appeals court making such a determination regarding a state's assault weapons ban.
New Jersey's solicitor general, Jeremy Feigenbaum, argued the case before the court on October 15, 2025. The state had previously achieved two other legal victories concerning gun restrictions. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin commented on the company Glock's sale of firearms easily convertible into machine guns.