Today (January 20, 2026), the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in one of the most significant gun rights cases of the term. The current 2025–2026 session is focused on defining “sensitive places” and clarifying who can be legally barred from owning a firearm.
Major Gun Case Argued Today
Wolford v. Lopez (Argued Jan 20, 2026)
This case challenges a Hawaii law that effectively bans gun owners from carrying firearms onto any private property open to the public (like shops or restaurants) unless the owner has given explicit consent.
* The Issue: Does the Second Amendment allow states to make “private property” a default “gun-free zone”?
* Significance: This will determine how much control states have over public carrying following the 2022 Bruen decision.
Other Key Cases this Term
* United States v. Hemani (Upcoming March 2): The Court will decide if the federal government can ban gun possession by users of illegal drugs. This follows a 5th Circuit ruling that questioned whether such a ban is consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.
* United States v. Rahimi (2025/2026): While initial rulings occurred late last year, the Court continues to refine the standard for whether individuals under domestic violence restraining orders can be stripped of their Second Amendment rights.
* 18 U.S.C. § 1715 (Postal Ban): In a recent Jan 15, 2026, opinion from the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel (following court pressure), it was signaled that the long-standing ban on mailing handguns through the USPS is likely unconstitutional under current Supreme Court standards.
Recently Decided
* Barrett v. United States (Jan 14, 2026): In a unanimous ruling, the Court favored a defendant, stating that “double jeopardy” protections prevent the government from convicting someone under two different federal firearm statutes for the same single criminal act.
* Bondi v. VanDerStok (2025): The Court recently upheld the ATF’s “Ghost Gun” rule, which requires serial numbers and background checks for “buy-build-shoot” kits, ruling that they qualify as firearms under federal law.
* Snope v. Brown (June 2025): The Court declined to hear a major challenge to Maryland’s “assault weapons” ban, leaving the ban in place for now, though Justice Thomas issued a sharp dissent.
Would you like a summary of the “History and Tradition” test the Court is using to decide these cases, or more details on the "Ghos
t Gun" ruling?