Supreme Court Just Said: Young adults do, in fact, have Second Amendment rights

This week, the Supreme Court quietly handed down a decision that sent a loud message across the country – young adults do, in fact, have Second Amendment rights. As explained by constitutional attorney Mark W. Smith on The Four Boxes Diner, the Court denied certiorari in the case of Worth v. Jacobson, allowing a major pro-Second Amendment ruling by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to stand.

The case involved a Minnesota law that prohibited individuals aged 18 to 20 from carrying handguns in public. The Eighth Circuit struck it down, and with the Supreme Court opting not to hear the appeal, that ruling now becomes binding precedent in the Eighth Circuit. That’s a massive win.

A “Cinder Block”

Smith described the Eighth Circuit ruling as a “cinder block” in the growing wall of legal precedent protecting gun rights. The decision found that young adults fall under the plain text of the Second Amendment and that there is no historical tradition supporting age-based carry bans. The denial by the Supreme Court didn’t reverse or challenge that ruling – it cemented it.

William Kirk’s Breakdown: More Activity Than You Think

Over on Washington Gun Law, attorney William Kirk echoed the same optimism but added important context. He reminded viewers that while many feel the Supreme Court is stalling on Second Amendment issues, there’s actually a flurry of ongoing activity. Kirk reviewed multiple pending gun rights cases, noting that while Snope v. Brown and Ocean State Tactical are still waiting for the Court’s decision to accept or deny cert, the denial in Worth v. Jacobson shows real movement.

“This case has been successfully litigated at every level,” Kirk emphasized, adding that the denial of cert wasn’t a defeat – it was a tactical win. Because the high court didn’t intervene, the ruling affirming young adults’ carry rights remains the law in Minnesota and other Eighth Circuit jurisdictions, such as Missouri and Iowa. It’s not a national ruling yet, but it sets a powerful example.

Copper Jacket TV: A Frustrating Wait – But a Win Is a Win

William, the host of Copper Jacket TV, has been tracking these cases week by week since last August. On his channel, he noted that both the Snope and Ocean State Tactical cases have been “conferenced” a staggering 11 times. That means the Court has considered them for nearly three months without taking action. “They weren’t accepted, they weren’t denied – they were just pushed again,” he said. It’s understandable that many gun rights supporters are growing impatient.

However, the victory in Worth v. Jacobson helped balance that frustration. William described it as “a win by way of denial.” Though he would have liked to see the Court take the case and affirm the right to carry for all 18- to 20-year-olds nationwide, he acknowledged the strategic value of letting the Eighth Circuit decision stand. “At least we’ll accept the win at the appellate court,” he said.

What the Eighth Circuit Actually Said

The Eighth Circuit panel’s language was clear: the Second Amendment applies to young adults. The Minnesota carry ban, which only allowed those 21 and older to get a permit, failed to meet constitutional muster. The court found that the restriction did not align with any historical tradition of gun regulation and could not be justified under the standards established in Bruen.

Kirk read portions of the ruling during his video, emphasizing that the decision affirmed the right of 18- to 20-year-olds to bear arms for self-defense in public. In the eyes of the court, Minnesota had failed to provide “sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption” that these young adults are entitled to protection under the Second Amendment.

Is the Supreme Court Avoiding the Second Amendment?

While all three commentators celebrated the win, they also noted some troubling trends. Mark Smith raised concerns about the Supreme Court’s unwillingness to take up more Second Amendment cases, even when both sides ask them to. In Worth, both the State of Minnesota and gun rights organizations like the Firearms Policy Coalition urged the Court to take the case – yet it was still denied.

Smith speculated that the Court might be reluctant to spend political capital on controversial Second Amendment issues, especially in a year dominated by high-profile cases related to immigration, executive authority, and presidential immunity. “It could mean they’re not interested in aggressively expanding Second Amendment protections,” he warned.

Why This Could Be a Calculated Move

But Smith also offered a hopeful theory: perhaps the Court is saving its political and legal capital for a more impactful case. He explained that while Worth v. Jacobson addressed the right to carry, other cases coming down the pipe deal with the right to acquire or purchase a firearm – rights that are more foundational.

For instance, the Reese case in the Fifth Circuit challenges a federal law that prohibits 18- to 20-year-olds from buying handguns from licensed dealers. Smith argued that if the Supreme Court eventually takes that case – or a similar one out of the Fourth Circuit – it could resolve multiple Second Amendment questions in one fell swoop. That strategy could result in a more comprehensive decision that addresses both carry rights and the right to acquire arms.

Snope and Ocean State Still in Limbo

As for the big-name cases everyone’s watching – Snope v. Brown (a challenge to Maryland’s so-called assault weapons ban) and Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island (targeting a magazine capacity limit) – the waiting game continues. Both Kirk and William from Copper Jacket TV noted that the Court has now relisted them 12 times.

“Every week is an opportunity,” said William. “And they’ve denied hundreds of other petitions during that time. So if they were going to deny these, why not just do it already?” It’s a valid point. The longer the Court holds these cases, the more it looks like they’re seriously considering granting certiorari.

What’s the Hold-Up?

One possible reason for the delay, as mentioned by William and Smith, could be the Duncan case – a revived challenge to California’s magazine ban that’s expected to return to the Supreme Court soon. Since Duncan was previously GVRed (granted, vacated, and remanded), the Court may be waiting for it to come back up fully briefed before deciding whether to hear Snope or Ocean State.

Smith believes the Court might only want to take one or two Second Amendment cases per term. If Snope is already in line, the denial in Worth could have been the price of admission.

Looking Ahead: More 2A Cases in the Wings

According to William Kirk, there’s no shortage of Second Amendment cases currently pending. From challenges to federal felon-in-possession laws (like Trevino and Wheeler) to issues surrounding disarmament as a condition of pre-trial release (Perez Garcia), the docket is filling up fast. Many of these cases involve Section 922(g) of federal law, and Kirk believes they’re headed for eventual Supreme Court scrutiny.

While it’s unlikely the Court will take all of them, the sheer number of petitions signals a reckoning on the horizon. “At some point, the Supreme Court is going to have to weigh in,” said Kirk.

A Victory Worth Celebrating

While many gun rights supporters hoped for a sweeping Supreme Court ruling, what they got instead was still a major win. As all three legal analysts emphasized, the Worth v. Jacobson case is now a binding federal precedent – affirming that young adults have the same right to carry arms as everyone else, at least in the Eighth Circuit.

For those living in jurisdictions that still restrict gun rights, this ruling provides a strong legal foundation for future challenges. And for those watching the Supreme Court with growing frustration, it’s a reminder that not every battle needs to be won in Washington to shift the balance nationwide.

As Mark Smith put it, “Every one of these victories is a brick in the wall protecting the Second Amendment.” With the right strategy – and a little patience – that wall is getting stronger every day.