Georgia Supreme Court Delivers Massive Blow to Young Gun Owners

On May 28, 2025, the Georgia Supreme Court unanimously upheld the state’s longstanding prohibition on adults under 21 from carrying handguns in public. The ruling directly impacts young adults like 20-year-old Thomas Stephens, who sued the state after being denied a weapons carry license. According to Atlanta News First reporter Josh White, the court’s decision affirms the state’s ability to restrict public carry for this age group under the Georgia Constitution.

State Constitution Allows Legislative Control Over Carry

The ruling hinged on the Georgia Constitution’s Article I, Section I, Paragraph VIII, which guarantees the right to bear arms but permits the General Assembly to regulate how arms are borne. As Justice Andrew Pinson explained, Stephens failed to demonstrate that the carry ban conflicted with the original public meaning of that provision. Instead, he asked the court to “import federal standards” from recent Second Amendment rulings – something the justices flatly rejected.

Challenge Didn’t Invoke U.S. Constitution

It’s worth noting that Stephens, along with Georgia 2nd Amendment (GA2A), never framed the challenge around the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment. Instead, they relied solely on Georgia’s state constitution. That left a narrow lane for the justices to evaluate the issue. As Cam Edwards of Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co pointed out, this wasn’t a Second Amendment case, which means it can’t be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. “That’s it,” Edwards said plainly. “It’s over unless the legislature steps in.”

Mark Walters: The Decision May Be Lawful, But It’s Immoral

Armed American Radio host Mark Walters, who lives in Georgia, was quick to respond. Speaking with Cam Edwards, Walters said that while the court may have ruled in line with the law, it failed morally. “It’s a great example of malum prohibitum versus malum in se,” Walters explained. “Man-made law versus what’s inherently right or wrong.” In Walters’ view, telling a legal adult they can’t defend themselves with a firearm is fundamentally unjust, regardless of legal precedent.

No Legal Route Left – Only Political

Because this was a state constitutional case, not a federal one, Georgia’s highest court has the final word. As Josh White reported, GA2A initially joined the lawsuit but later withdrew, and the court maintained the legislature’s authority to pass age-based restrictions. That leaves just two options, Walters said: either amend the Georgia Constitution (an unlikely political lift) or get the General Assembly to change the law. “That’s where the fight moves now,” he told Cam Edwards.

Legislative Fight Expected in 2026 Session

Any hope of change will have to wait until 2026. As Walters noted, Georgia’s legislative session has already adjourned for the year. “18- to 20-year-olds are out of luck for now,” he said. “Unless they’ve served in the military, they can’t carry in public.” Walters stressed the urgency of preparing a strong lobbying push for the next session and expects gun rights groups to mobilize over the next several months.

Gun Groups May Pressure the Legislature

While there’s been no official announcement, Walters speculated that organizations like Georgia Gun Owners and GA2A are likely to target the legislature. “They’re not going to let this go,” he said. But he also warned that opposition groups like Everytown for Gun Safety will likely pour money into the state to keep the ban intact. “They’ll throw gobs of money at this,” Walters predicted. “And they’ve got way more money than we do.”

Federal Court Challenge Still a Possibility

Although this particular challenge is done, Cam Edwards noted that a future case could still target the law under the Second Amendment. “There are already similar cases making their way up the federal ladder,” he said, pointing to the NRA’s case against Florida’s under-21 gun sales ban. But any such case in Georgia would take years, and as Walters explained, that creates another issue: “The plaintiff ages out.”

The Clock Is Always Ticking

In a personal revelation, Walters shared that his own son was nearly a plaintiff in one of these challenges. “We started talking to lawyers when he was 19,” Walters recalled. But the timeline made the case impossible. “By the time it would’ve made it through court, he would’ve turned 21, and the case would’ve been moot.” That’s exactly what happened in other states, where lawsuits were dropped because plaintiffs aged out before a ruling.

The Irony of Adult Responsibility Without Full Rights

One of the more frustrating aspects of the ruling, according to Walters, is the contradiction in how 18-year-olds are treated. “My son is a legal adult. He can be sued, drafted, charged as an adult, get married, take out a loan, but he can’t carry a handgun to protect himself,” Walters said. “It makes no sense.” This kind of inconsistency, he argued, is not just a legal flaw – it’s a moral failure by the state.

The Age Argument Is a Slippery Slope

Here’s where the ruling gets especially concerning. If Georgia can say 20-year-olds are too young to carry, what’s to stop lawmakers from raising the bar again? Could they say 25 is the new threshold? Or 30? It’s a slippery slope. The idea that a legislature can carve out exceptions to a constitutional right based on age alone is troubling. Either you’re an adult with full rights at 18, or you’re not. You can’t have it both ways.

This Fight Is Far From Over

As Cam Edwards emphasized, this court battle may be over, but the political war is just beginning. “We now know how the court interprets the Constitution,” he said. “That gives lawmakers and activists a clearer roadmap going forward.” Walters agreed, adding that the ruling may actually help the movement by showing exactly where to focus pressure. “We’ve got clarity now,” he said. “It’s time to act.”

A Strategic Pause Before the Next Round

In the end, the ruling is a legal loss but a strategic moment. Georgia’s carry ban for adults under 21 still stands, but gun rights advocates are regrouping. The next phase of this fight won’t take place in a courtroom – it’ll happen in the Capitol building. Whether lawmakers listen will depend on how loud the public gets. And come 2026, those voices will be hard to ignore.