The Ninth\u00a0U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals\u00a0in San Francisco rejected on Monday a request from gun rights groups to rehear a challenge to California\u2019s restrictive concealed carry laws, setting the case on a path towards a final decision by the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
The laws require California residents to obtain a permit from local law enforcement agencies before they can carry a concealed firearm. The permits are impossible to obtain by anyone except police and security guards in most metropolitan areas, according to SFGate.com<\/a>. Residents have to prove a \u201cgood cause\u201d for carrying a handgun for self-defense, which can be difficult even in rural and inland areas.<\/p>\n The Ninth Circuit Court initially ruled this law to be unconstitutional, striking it down in a 2-1 decision. As the Second Amendment guarantees the right to \u201cbear [i.e., carry] arms,\u201d and a constitutional right to carry firearms in one\u2019s own home doesn\u2019t make sense, the court ruled that the Second Amendment applies equally inside and outside the home.<\/p>\n But three years of law school can muddy even the simplest language, and, when gun control groups appealed, the 11-judge version of the Ninth Circuit Court reversed the previous ruling with a 7-4 vote.<\/p>\n Gun rights advocates requested the case be heard by the full, 28-judge court, but the court denied the request.<\/p>\n Now the Supreme Court will have an opportunity to hear the case and decide the future of concealed carry laws not just in California\u2014but nationwide. \u00a0Don’t hold your breath, though. Over the years,\u00a0the high court has had the opportunity to hear similar cases on ‘may-issue’ concealed-carry standards that require “good cause,” but has refused to take up the cases.<\/p>\n Plus, with Justice Scalia’s passing, now may not be the best time for the Supreme Court to render a decision on the “good cause” requirement. \u00a0It might be best to wait until a new pro-gun justice is appointed — assuming one is appointed following the presidential elections in November (it’s not looking good; Hillary has been leading in the polls).<\/p>\n