It is a crime in the State of Illinois to carry a firearm without a license. Illinois law further provides that no license shall be issued to an individual under the age of 21 years-old. As a result, Young Adults (ages 18-20-years-old) are unable to acquire licenses and are barred from exercising their right to bear arms outside the home.
The Second Amendment’s plain text, as informed by this nation’s history and tradition, reveals that prohibiting the bearing of arms by Young Adults is constitutionally impermissible. There were no colonial or founding era laws that restricted the rights of Young Adults to keep and carry arms.
On May 27, 2021, the Second Amendment Foundation filed suit, along with two other civil rights organizations, and two individuals. The lawsuit asks a federal court to declare that the ban violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments and enjoin the Defendants from enforcing the ban.
Case Team: David Sigale, David Thompson, Peter Patterson, and Will Bergstrom
Case Documents
To access all of the case documents, please visit the docket.
Case Media