Overview
- On Jan. 20, the justices hear Wolford v. Lopez, which challenges Hawaii’s rule that carrying a firearm on private property open to the public is unlawful without explicit permission from the owner.
- The Ninth Circuit upheld Hawaii’s law by invoking a 1771 New Jersey statute and an 1865 Louisiana measure as close historical analogues, a rationale critics argue conflicts with Bruen’s demand for a broader tradition.
- Briefing in Wolford highlights a direct split with the Second Circuit and asks the Court to clarify how facial and as‑applied challenges should be evaluated in Second Amendment cases.
- In March, the Court will take up United States v. Hemani, which contests the federal prohibition on gun possession by unlawful users or addicts of controlled substances.
- Legal analysts expect the Court could strike signage-based carry limits yet uphold disarmament of habitual drug users, pointing to Rahimi’s reliance on historical analogies to regulate dangerous conduct.