In this section, Rich Neel outlines some of the most significant court decisions that have shaped the landscape of gun rights in the United States. He begins with the 2008 landmark case, District of Columbia v. Heller, where the Supreme Court affirmed an individual's right to possess firearms, striking down a handgun ban in Washington, D.C. “It was a critical moment for the Second Amendment,” Neel reflects. “The courts recognized that the right to bear arms was a personal right.”

Neel also highlights the 2010 case, McDonald v. City of Chicago, which expanded on Heller by ensuring that the Second Amendment applied not just at the federal level but also to the states, requiring local and state governments to honor the right to own firearms. He notes that this case opened the door to further challenges to restrictive local gun laws.

More recently, Neel points to the 2022 decision involving the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, which reinforced the right to carry concealed weapons without undue barriers. These rulings, according to Neel, have collectively bolstered the rights of gun owners, leading to a landscape where 29 states now recognize Constitutional Carry. “Each case is a battle in a much larger war over the meaning of the Second Amendment,” he concludes, suggesting that the courts will remain a key battleground in the fight for gun rights.