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Constitutional Law Keyed to Rotunda
District of Columbia v. Heller
Citation:
554 U.S. 570 (2008)InstructorMatthew Steinberg
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
Facts
The District of Columbia generally prohibits the possession of handguns. It is a crime to carry an unregistered firearm, and the registration of handguns is prohibited. District of Columbia also requires residents to keep their lawfully owned firearms unloaded and dissembled or bound by a trigger lock or similar device unless they are located in a place of business or are being used for lawful recreational activities. Respondent Heller is a special police officer authorized to carry a handgun while on duty. He applied for a registration certificate for a handgun that he wished to keep at home, but the District refused. He sued to enjoin the city from enforcing the bar on the registration of handguns.
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