New Challenge to Maryland's Handgun Carry Ban

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Call v. Jones III

On behalf of our members, Maryland Shall Issue, Inc. is proud to announce that we’ve partnered with the Firearms Policy Coalition, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in bringing a new legal challenge to Maryland’s unconstitutional ‘wear and carry’ permit requirements.

The "good and substantial reason" requirement for issuance of a permit imposed by Maryland law has long been used to effectively disqualify the vast majority of law-abiding Marylanders of their right to carry a handgun for the lawful purpose of self-defense. The time has come to end Maryland’s subjective and discriminatory law and regulations. The people of Maryland have a fundamental right to protect themselves in public.

Read the complaint
HERE

You can follow the case's progress HERE

Press release from FPC
Press release from SAF

RESULT

The United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022), that there exists a 2nd Amendment right to carry handguns in public for personal protection and that right is guaranteed through the 14th Amendment. New York's subjective "proper cause" requirement at issue in that case is analogous to Maryland's "good and substantial reason" requirement for issuance of a permit to carry a handgun in Maryland and was singled out as much in the opinion, therefore making it unenforceable. On July 5th and after consultation with the MD Office of the Attorney General, Governor Larry Hogan ordered the Maryland State Police to comply with the Court's opinion and to suspend enforcement of "good and substantial reason," effectively making Maryland a shall issue state for carry permits.

The individual plaintiffs in Call are eligible for permits, like any other law-abiding Marylander, leaving nothing else at issue in the case. Parties jointly agreed that the case is moot (meaning there's nothing to decide) and the case was remanded by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to the District Court to be dismissed. The District Court did so on September 8th, 2022, officially ending the case.

Marylanders are able to apply for carry permits without needing to demonstrate a special need.

Case Documents and History
US District Court for the District of Maryland Case# 1:20-cv-03304-DKC

11/13/20 - Complaint
12/7/20 - Defendants' Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss
12/21/20 - Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss
3/19/21 - Order Granting Defendants' Motion to Dismiss
3/26/21 - Notice of Appeal to US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Case# 21-1334

5/7/21 - Joint Motion to Hold Appeal in Abeyance
5/7/21 - Order Granting Motion to Suspend Briefing
5/10/21 - Order Granting Motion to Hold in Abeyance
6/23/22 - New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen is decided
6/24/22 - Briefing Order (Scheduling)
8/3/22 - Joint Motion to Vacate and Remand With Instructions to Dismiss as Moot
8/11/22 - Order Granting Motion to Vacate and Remand With Instructions to Dismiss as Moot
9/2/22 - Mandate Issued on Order Granting Motion to Vacate and Remand With Instruction to Dismiss as Moot

US District Court for the District of Maryland Case# 1:20-cv-03304-DKC

9/8/22 - Order Dismissing Case as Moot

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August 2023 Legal Update

Novotny v. Moore - Challenge against aspects of SB 1 and current public carry restrictions

Maryland Shall Issue, the Second Amendment Foundation, the Firearms Policy Coalition, and three individuals have challenged SB 1. That bill passed this last Session of the General Assembly places many unconstitutional restrictions on the right to carry with a permit in Maryland. The case is styled Novotny v. Moore and has been consolidated with Kipke v. Moore in federal district court in Baltimore. Kipke was brought by the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association. Plaintiffs in both cases have filed motions for preliminary injunctions and motions for summary judgment with the aim of stopping enforcement of certain restrictions placed by SB 1 by October 1st, the bill’s effective date. Briefing is ongoing in both cases and then the court will decide whether to hold an oral argument and simply move to the issuance of a decision. The court is not required to decide the case within any set time. We will provide updates of importance as they occur. Find all of the filings in both of these cases HERE.

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Maryland Shall Issue®, Inc.
9613 Harford Rd
Ste C #1015
Baltimore, MD 21234-2150

Phone: 410-849-9197
Email:
Web: www.marylandshallissue.org