3rd Circuit Voids New Jersey's 10-Round Assault-Weapons Ban as Supreme Court Weighs Similar Cases
Updated
Updated · NorthJersey.com · Jul 17
3rd Circuit Voids New Jersey's 10-Round Assault-Weapons Ban as Supreme Court Weighs Similar Cases
3 articles · Updated · NorthJersey.com · Jul 17
Summary
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia struck down New Jersey's ban on semiautomatic rifles such as AR-15s and magazines holding more than 10 rounds, calling it unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
The 3rd Circuit said the state law violated gun rights, marking the first time a federal appeals court has ruled that a state's assault-weapons ban is unconstitutional.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport blasted the decision as legally wrong, saying other federal circuits upheld similar restrictions and that the state is considering its next steps.
The ruling lands as the U.S. Supreme Court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, has already agreed to review decisions upholding comparable bans in Cook County, Illinois, and Connecticut.
New Jersey revised its criminal code in 2025 to list dozens of firearms and features as banned assault weapons, and another bill in the Assembly would tighten those limits further.
With New Jersey's gun ban overturned, are similar laws in 14 other states now living on borrowed time?
Can modern firearm bans survive a legal test that demands they be rooted in 18th-century history?
Landmark 3rd Circuit Ruling Overturns New Jersey Assault Weapons Ban, Setting Stage for Supreme Court Decision
Overview
On July 17, 2026, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a landmark 10-5 decision that struck down New Jersey’s decades-old ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. This ruling specifically invalidated the state’s prohibition on AR-15-style rifles and magazines holding more than 10 rounds, marking a major shift for a state known for tough gun laws. New Jersey’s original assault weapons law was enacted in 1990 after a mass shooting and was tightened in 2018 to further restrict magazine capacity. The court’s decision signals a significant change in the legal landscape for gun control in New Jersey.