A federal appeals court says the Second Amendment does not give you the right to carry a concealed firearm outside the home.
The 9th Circuit’s 7-4 decisions in Peruta v. San Diego upheld a California law that says applications must have “good cause” to obtain a concealed-carry permit.
The lawsuit was filed in 2009 by Edward Peruta, a man who sued the San Diego County sheriff for denying him a permit because he did not have “good cause” beyond general self defense.
Examples might include people with a job that exposes them to robbery, routinely carrying large amounts of cash or valuables, celebrities who fear for their safety, or stalking victims.
The narrow ruling is a blow to gun rights advocates who argue that the right to self-defense is reason enough.
It also sets the stage for a showdown at the Supreme Court, although there is no guarantee the court will take up the case.
In a dissent, Judge Consuelo M. Callahan, a Reagan appointee, said it is unconstitutional to deny ordinary citizens the right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense — both openly and concealed.
NRA legislative chief Chris W. Cox called the ruling “out of touch” and said:
This decision will leave good people defenseless, as it completely ignores the fact that law-abiding Californians who reside in counties with hostile sheriffs will now have no means to carry a firearm outside the home for personal protection.”
Source: New York Times