MILESFORTIS

Monday a big court day for 2nd amendment, gun laws, gun rights

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in Manhattan, will hear five second amendment cases Monday.

“My hopes are Monday evening the case is decided and New Yorkers get their gun rights back,” says Oneida County’s assistant pistol licensing officer, Dan Sullivan.

It’s not clear if the judges will rule from the bench, or, reserve decision and issue a written one at a later date. But Sullivan is hopeful for the outcome.

“You’ve got the highest court in the land and you’ve got three federal judges who’ve stated in writing that the carry concealed improvement act is not constitutional, so I’m hoping we get our gun rights back,” says Sullivan.

Sullivan does his best to help applicants navigate a wave of confusion that began after the U.S. Supreme Court essentially made all licenses unrestricted, in June of last year, and New York State instituted the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, basically barring guns in most places. There have been more volleys, leaving gun owners in a position to unwittingly break the law. The New York Times wrote an article, documenting the confusion.

“I think 70 or 80% of gun owners don’t have a clue what the law is right now,” says Sullivan. “I think there’s an awful lot of people that are carrying like they’ve always carried, and I don’t think they’re doing that out of maliciousness, I think they’re doing that out of simply not knowing what the law is right now”

For now, New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act remains intact.