New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court 2nd Amendment Case

TROY, NY (12/19/2007)(readMedia)-- The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear a case in which a 31-year-old Washington, D.C. handgun ban was overturned by a U.S. District Court. The District Court ruled that the ban violated the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, and the Washington city government is appealing this decision. This case is important to gun owners everywhere because the Supreme Court will be interpreting the language of the 2nd Amendment – specifically, whether it enumerates an individual right to keep and bear arms. Thus, the results of this case could be either a great victory or a devastating defeat for gun owners, and we need to employ every weapon at our disposal in fighting this decisive battle

Eighteen state associations, led by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, have come together to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court. An amicus brief is a “white paper” offering an analysis of the law – in this case, the 2nd Amendment – and how it should be interpreted. It is presented to the Court by a party with an interest in the case, but which is not directly involved in the litigation. The brief will be filed in January or early February.

The preparation of an amicus brief is a time-consuming and expensive process. While the collaborative effort of 18 state associations will ease the financial burden on the NYSRPA, additional individual contributions will be gratefully accepted. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose! Let’s be sure we dedicate all the resources we need to secure 2nd Amendment rights for ourselves and for future generations! Any funds remaining after the brief is prepared will be donated to the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund, which has already incurred significant costs in this case.

To make your donation via the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, mail a check payable to NYSRPA to the following address: NYSRPA, P.O. Box 1023, Troy, N.Y. 12181-1023. For further information, contact NYSRPA President Tom King at tking@nysrpa.org.