This past November, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, a case challenging a strict New York state gun law. This marks the first time the Court has taken up a major Second Amendment case in more than a decade. After two hours of questioning, a majority of justices seemed poised to strike down the law, which restricts citizens from carrying concealed handguns outside the home unless they prove a heightened or unique need, known as a “proper cause,” to do so. [1] Considering the Court’s recent 6-3 conservative supermajority, the justices will likely rule the New York law unconstitutional. In turn, the New York case could have lasting ramifications, endangering current restrictions on guns in public spaces such as bars, sports stadiums, and subways, and ushering in a new era of weakened gun control laws, increased litigation, and constitutional questions regarding where and when one can carry a gun in public.

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