The United States Supreme Court appears to be leaning in favor of President Joe Biden's administration to uphold a federal law that bans guns that are linked to domestic violence restraining orders (DVROs).
The situation is the first major test of the Second Amendment at the high court this term and the decision would provide a win for the Democratic leader's agenda. Justices on both sides of the ideological spectrum seemed to agree on Tuesday with the Biden administration in that there is a history and tradition of keeping firearms from dangerous people.
Supreme Court Leans on Upholding Gun Ban
This is despite the lack of any specific ban that may have been in place when the Constitution was enacted. The ruling of the court in the case, U.S. v. Rahimi, is expected to have reverberating implications for several gun-rights measures that are working their way through the legal system and in state legislatures.
It could also have impacts on current cases that deal with whether or not current and former drug users can similarly be denied gun ownership. These include Hunter Biden, who plans to challenge a pending federal indictment after he allegedly lied on a federal registration form in 2018 about his drug addiction when he purchased a firearm, as per Fox News.
The current case in the court stems from a lawsuit that involves a Texas man, identified as Zackey Ramini, who, under a DVRO, argued that he still had a right to keep a gun for self-protection.
The individual was previously charged with separate state offenses that began when he physically assaulted his ex-girlfriend and later another woman by use of firearms. While there were concerns about its application, a majority of justices appeared to be convinced by large parts of the federal government's argument.
In a statement, Justice Elena Kagan said that it was obvious that people who have guns pose a great danger to others. She argued that you do not simply give firearms to people who have the kind of history of domestic violence that Ramini has.
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Dangerous Individuals Possessing Guns
The Supreme Court justices heard arguments in an appeal filed by the Biden administration in relation to a lower court's ruling that struck down the law. The legislation was intended to protect victims of domestic abuse, according to Reuters.
However, some of the conservative justices, who hold a 6-3 majority, questioned the scope of the administration's argument. This is because under the Second Amendment, people who are not "law-abiding and responsible" would be prohibited from possessing guns.
Some of their questions signaled openness to finding the law in harmony with the Second Amendment by applying a standard that would disarm individuals who are deemed dangerous. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts honed in on the word "responsible," arguing that it was too broad.
The situation comes as more than half of all abuse victims who are killed by their abusers involve a firearm. Many consider the United States' gun laws to be responsible for this poor statistic. American women are 21 times more likely to be murdered by a gun than women in other wealthy countries, said CNN.
