Wolford v. Lopez

What the Court ruled

By a 6–3 vote, the Court struck down Hawaii's "vampire rule" — the law requiring licensed concealed-carry holders to get a property owner's express permission before bringing a firearm onto private property open to the public. Justice Alito wrote the opinion, joined by Roberts, Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett. The Court rejected Hawaii's argument that the rule was just a property-law default rather than a Second Amendment question, and found the historical laws Hawaii relied on — including an 1865 Louisiana statute rooted in the post–Civil War Black Codes — too tainted and too rare to justify it.

What it means

The default flips back: a licensed carrier may bring a firearm onto private property open to the public — stores, restaurants, gas stations — unless the owner affirmatively says no. That is already the rule in 45 states. The decision is limited to this private-property consent rule and does not touch Hawaii's full list of "sensitive places." It puts similar affirmative-consent laws in California, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland directly in the path of follow-on litigation.

Timeline (from official SCOTUS docket)

• Jun 25, 2026 Decided — Hawaii's law struck down; reversed and remanded, 6–3. Opinion by Alito; Barrett concurred (Thomas, Gorsuch joining Part II–B); Kagan and Jackson dissented (Sotomayor joining Jackson).
• Jan 20, 2026 Oral argument heard before the Court
• Nov 12, 2025 Argument scheduled for January 20, 2026
• Oct 3, 2025 Cert granted, limited to Question 1
• Sep 6, 2024 9th Circuit upheld Hawaii's law