Analyzing Second Amendment Rights: United States v. Rahimi Case

Conduct research on United States v. Rahimi, Case Number 22-915, which is a case the
Supreme Court is hearing this term. As background, in 2008 the Supreme Court held—for the
first time—that individuals have a Second Amendment right to bear arms. Since then, various
restrictions on gun ownership have been challenged. For example, last term, the Supreme Court
held that a New York law requiring a permit to carry a concealed gun in public was
unconstitutional because the permit requirement violated the Second Amendment.
At issue in United States v. Rahimi is law that prohibits the possession of a firearm by a
person subject to a domestic-violence restraining order. Mr. Rahimi—who was a person subject
to a domestic violence restraining order—was prohibited from purchasing a gun, and Mr. Rahimi
argues this violated his Second Amendment right.
Start with neutral sources that explain the issues in the case. Some good resources
include:
• Scotusblog.com
• Oyez.org
• Constitutioncenter.org
After you have read some starting-point resources and have a solid understanding of the
case, search for news articles or websites/blogs/podcasts that take a position (i.e. are not neutral).
Often, special interest groups or trade associations file supporting briefs in the case (called
amicus curiae briefs), which you also might find a good resource and to which you can cite
(available at SCOTUSblog).