Overview
- The Court consolidated Viramontes v. Cook County with Grant v. Higgins and set oral argument for Dec. 2, 2026, with a decision expected by summer 2027.
- The U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief urging the justices to strike down the Cook County and Connecticut bans, saying the AR‑15 is ‘‘unquestionably in common use’’ for lawful purposes such as home defense and target shooting.
- Georgetown professor William English submitted new national survey data estimating about 60 million modern semiautomatic rifles in private hands and reporting that owners most often cite home defense; the 2026 study revised methods used in his 2021 work to address earlier critiques.
- Roughly 40 to 45 amicus briefs have been filed, including from 27 states, national sheriffs’ groups, pro‑gun organizations, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, with supporters stressing prevalence and lawful use and some amici warning against making ownership figures dispositive.
- Lower courts in the Seventh and Second Circuits previously upheld the bans and a Supreme Court ruling for petitioners could unsettle similar state and local prohibitions, affecting manufacturers, owners, and law enforcement responses across the country.