NEWS RELEASE Second Amendment Foundation 12500 NE Tenth Place • Bellevue, WA 98005
www.saf.org PLAINTIFFS FIRE NEXT SHOT IN RIGHT TO CARRY LAWSUIT! For Immediate Release: 2/19/2011 Bellevue, WA - The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) and 6 individual plaintiffs filed reply papers in their historic right to carry lawsuit, in response to the State of New Jersey’s absurd argument that the Second Amendment only applies inside the home, and that the public needs to be protected from those who legally carry firearms. The new reply papers are available on
www.saf.org.
The federal lawsuit, filed in November of last year, challenges New Jersey’s unconstitutional “justifiable need” standard for issuance of handgun carry permits – a nearly impossible standard to meet that has all but eliminated the right to self-defense with a firearm in the Garden State.
In its papers filed last month, the Attorney General defended New Jersey’s existing carry laws, revealed apparent anti-Second Amendment bias, and moved to dismiss (i.e., end) the case. A nearly identical “friend of the court” brief was filed one day later by The Brady Campaign, Million Mom March NJ chapter, and CeaseFire NJ.
“The Second Amendment Foundation has funded this important lawsuit because the State of New Jersey can not be allowed to violate the Constitution,” said Alan Gottlieb, founder of SAF. “We are not going to let New Jersey or any other state violate the rights of gun owners,” he added.
“It is now crystal clear that the State of New Jersey has no intention of ever respecting the right to defend yourself with a firearm outside the home, and will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into compliance with the Heller and McDonald decisions,” said ANJRPC President Scott Bach. “With this lawsuit, we intend to do just that, even if we have to go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Bach.
The State’s responsive papers are due in Mid-March, after which the case will be submitted to a U.S. District Court Judge for decision, which could come as early as this Summer. Appeals are anticipated regardless of the decision.
The Second Amendment Foundation will keep you apprised of major case developments as they occur. Please watch for future alerts.
Join The Fight at SAF.org! Support The Second Amendment Foundation’s Efforts to Restore The Second Amendment in the Garden State and all across America .
The Second Amendment Foundation (
www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an
amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.
link to filing .pdf
http://saf.org/legal.action/nj.lawsuit/29PlaintiffsBriefinReplyandOpposition.pdf
