Snope v. Brown
Cert Denied — Jun 2, 2025No. 24-869
Does the Second Amendment protect the right to own AR-15s and other semi-automatic rifles?
What happened
After being relisted 15 times, the Court denied cert on June 2, 2025, letting Maryland's ban on AR-15s and similar rifles stand. The Fourth Circuit had upheld the ban by ruling that such rifles are not protected "arms" under the Second Amendment — a conclusion critics say directly contradicts Bruen. No majority wrote to explain the denial.
What it means going forward
Maryland's ban remains in effect. The denial was a significant setback for gun rights advocates, but the issue is far from settled — the rifle question is now squarely before the Court in Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, granted June 30, 2026 (see Being Decided This Term).
Justice Thomas dissented, writing he "would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America." Justice Kavanaugh wrote separately that the Court should wait "a Term or two" for lower courts to further develop the issue — and that there is a "strong argument" the AR-15 is constitutionally protected.
Key dates
- Jun 2, 2025 Cert denied — Thomas dissents, Kavanaugh writes separately
- Feb 2025 Relisted for the 15th consecutive conference
- Aug 2024 4th Circuit upheld Maryland's semi-auto rifle ban