Judge Payne Rules Ban on Handgun Sales to Young Adults Under 21 Violates Second Amendment, Sparks Debate Over Gun Rights

A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a law banning licensed federal firearms dealers from selling handguns to young adults under 21 violates the Second Amendment and is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert Payne came down on the side of four young men who sued over the ban, writing in a 71-page opinion that “the statutes and regulations in question are not consistent with our Nation’s history and tradition” and therefore “cannot stand.”

In his ruling, Judge Payne wrote that many of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship are granted at the age of 18, including the right to vote, enlist in the military without parental permission and serve on a federal jury. He argued that if the court were to exclude 18-to-20-year-olds from the Second Amendment’s protection, it would impose limitations on the Second Amendment that do not exist with other constitutional guarantees.

The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Payne in Richmond, if not overturned, would allow dealers to sell handguns to 18- to 20-year-olds. The four young men who brought the suit argued that the ban was unconstitutional and violated their Second Amendment rights.

The ruling is being seen as a major victory for gun rights advocates, who have long argued that the Second Amendment should be applied equally to all citizens regardless of age. However, the ruling is likely to be challenged by gun control advocates, who argue that the ban was put in place to protect young adults from the dangers of gun violence.

The ruling is the latest in a series of court decisions that have addressed the issue of gun rights and the Second Amendment. It remains to be seen whether the ruling will be upheld or overturned, but it is clear that the debate over gun rights is far from over.