27 States Challenge Magazine Capacity Restrictions in Supreme Court Filing

Multi-State Coalition Seeks Federal Review of Washington's Gun Magazine Ban

A coalition of 27 predominantly conservative states has petitioned the United States Supreme Court to examine the constitutionality of Washington state's restrictions on magazine capacity, filing legal documents with the nation's highest court this Tuesday.

Montana Leads Constitutional Challenge Against Magazine Restrictions

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spearheaded the effort, submitting a comprehensive 32-page amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs involved in Gator's Custom Guns v. State of Washington. The case centers on challenging Washington's magazine capacity limitations, which received validation from the Washington Supreme Court in May.

"The Supreme Court needs to step in to uphold Americans' right to keep and bear arms," Knudsen stated. "Lower courts, including the Washington Supreme Court, are attempting to attack and rewrite the Second Amendment."

Legal Arguments Focus on Second Amendment Rights

Knudsen's legal argument emphasizes that "Washington's restrictions burden the rights of millions of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear magazines that have been considered appropriate for self-defense."

The multi-state legal brief draws support from attorneys general representing Idaho, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Additionally, the Arizona Legislature has joined the coalition.

Gun Rights Organizations File Concurrent Legal Briefs

Beyond the state-level challenge, several prominent firearms advocacy organizations submitted their own separate but aligned legal documents to the Supreme Court on the same day. The National Association for Gun Rights, the National Rifle Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation each filed individual briefs supporting the constitutional challenge against magazine capacity restrictions.

This coordinated legal strategy represents a significant effort to address magazine capacity limitations at the federal level through Supreme Court review.