Supreme Court Declines Case Challenging D.C. High-Capacity Magazine Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case challenging Washington, D.C.’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines, leaving in place a lower court decision that upheld the restriction. The regulation, which prohibits possession and sale of magazines holding more than 10 rounds, was contested by four licensed gun owners who argued it violated their Second Amendment rights.

The plaintiffs claimed that such magazines are commonly used for lawful purposes, including self-defense. However, the lower courts ruled otherwise. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras found that large-capacity magazines are not typically used for self-defense, citing evidence that only around two shots are fired in most such incidents. He also stated the law aligned with the U.S.'s historical firearm regulations.

In October 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the ruling in a 2-1 decision, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court. This week, the justices rejected the case without comment. This follows a similar decision on June 2, when the Court declined to hear challenges to magazine bans in Rhode Island and Maryland's ban on AR-15-style rifles.

The Court has taken a selective approach on Second Amendment cases, recently upholding laws on ghost guns and firearms access by individuals under domestic violence restraining orders, while striking down a bump stock ban.

Notably, Friday’s decision was released earlier than scheduled due to a court software glitch that sent out premature email alerts. A spokesperson confirmed the early release of the order list.

The D.C. law remains one of several high-profile gun control measures left intact amid ongoing national debate over firearm rights and public safety.