Manatt Files Amicus Brief Supporting State Assault Weapons Bans Before U.S. Supreme Court

A Manatt team led by Senior Counsel , Associate and Associate filed an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a coalition of state gun violence prevention organizations in the consolidated cases Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, which address whether the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect the right to possess AR-15-style and similar semiautomatic rifles. The Court granted certiorari in both matters and consolidated the cases for argument, currently scheduled for December 2, 2026.

The brief was submitted on behalf of the , , , , and .

In support of respondents, the brief argues that assault weapons differ materially from other firearms due to a combination of features that make them uniquely dangerous and particularly lethal in mass shootings. It further contends that state assault weapons bans were enacted in response to the modern rise of mass shootings, are effective at reducing mass-shooting casualties, and reflect the considered judgments of elected state legislatures responding to public safety concerns and constituent demand.

Drawing on the coalition's experience advocating for policies that reduce firearm-related injuries and deaths, the brief emphasizes the devastating impact of assault weapons on victims and communities, particularly children, and urges the Court to preserve states' authority to address evolving public safety threats through democratically enacted legislation.

Read the full brief .