Supreme Court Notices A Spike In Activity Around The Ghost Gun Case

(PatriotPostNews.com) — In the latest installment of the high-profile ghost gun case before the Supreme Court, a group of organizations and individuals have appealed to the court to maintain federal restrictions on the controversial firearms.

The nation’s highest court is in the midst of hearing a case concerning the regulation of ghost guns, which are firearms that can be put together with at-home kits and do not have serial numbers. The case is challenging a 2022 regulation that requires ghost guns to be tracked.

On Tuesday, July 2, a coalition of groups and individuals—including local government representatives, police associations, gun control groups, national security officials, members of law enforcement, prosecutors, and attorneys general—filed amicus briefs to request that the Supreme Court protect the current restrictions placed on ghost guns.

The briefs are in support of the appealing parties, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The two federal agencies are among the defendants in a lawsuit challenging the 2022 ghost gun rule as unconstitutional.

In the brief, the petitioners allege that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals erroneously upheld a decision that found the ghost gun regulation—commonly referred to as the “frame or receiver” rule—was unlawful. They further argue that the challenged rule is in line with the Gun Control Act, does not violate federal law, and that the regulation is essential to public safety.

On the other hand, the Texas gun owners and Firearms Policy Coalition argue that the rule does infringe upon federal law by broadening the definition of “firearm” to encompass more than Congress meant within the Gun Control Act. In 2023, the rule was struck down by a judge in Texas, a decision that was mostly upheld by the Fifth Circuit court.

In April, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of the rulings. According to the 2022 regulation, ghost guns are required to meet the same safety standards as guns that are conventionally manufactured. Although citizens are not prohibited from buying or selling the products, they must adhere to background checks and have serial numbers attached to their ghost guns, making the sales trackable for law enforcement.