3rd Circuit Court Invalidates New Jersey Assault Rifle Ban

A federal appeals court ruled on July 17, 2026, that New Jersey's ban on semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines is unconstitutional, marking the first time a federal appellate court has struck down such a state-level prohibition. The full panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, voted 10-5 to invalidate the laws, finding they violate the Second Amendment under the framework established by the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

The decision creates a direct conflict with other federal appeals courts, including one that upheld a similar ban in Illinois just last week. This circuit split increases the likelihood that the Supreme Court will intervene to establish a uniform national standard. The high court is already scheduled to consider challenges to similar bans in Cook County, Illinois, and Connecticut during its upcoming fall term.

The ruling expands upon a July 2024 decision from a federal district judge who found New Jersey's ban on AR-15 rifles unconstitutional but upheld the state's restriction on magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The appeals court modified that order, extending...