Overview

• The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Judge Roger Benitez’s permanent injunction in a 2–1 ruling that blocks California’s per-purchase ammunition background checks.
• Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta wrote the majority opinion, concluding that mandatory face-to-face ID checks and fees infringe the fundamental right to keep and bear arms and lack historical parallels.
• Judge Jay S. Bybee dissented, noting that most checks impose only a one-dollar fee and under one minute of delay and do not meaningfully constrain gun ownership.
• Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the decision as a setback to community safety and said they are evaluating further legal options.
• Plaintiffs led by the California Rifle & Pistol Association and Olympic shooter Kim Rhode praised the outcome as a victory for Second Amendment rights and signaled readiness for an en banc appeal.