We’re back with a second lawsuit to make sure New Mexico cannot trample on your Second Amendment rights.Â
In August, Mountain States Legal Foundation secured a major victory against New Mexico’s unconstitutional seven-day firearm waiting period in Ortega v. Grisham. The Tenth Circuit ruled that the state cannot force people to wait seven days to take possession of a firearm when they have already passed the federally required background check, except when that check has not cleared within three days. This summer, a federal district court entered final judgment protecting our clients from enforcement of the law.Â
But there’s a problem: New Mexico says that victory applies only to the two people we represented in court. The state intends to continue enforcing the waiting period against everyone else, threatening law-abiding buyers and sellers with potential criminal charges.Â
We won the legal fight. Now, we’re fighting to make sure every New Mexican can benefit from that victory.Â
On October 19, MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear Arms and its colleagues at Clement & Murphy, alongside the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), filed a second lawsuit against New Mexico in National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. et al v. Torrez.Â
Our goal is straightforward: secure a ruling that prevents the state from enforcing this unconstitutional waiting period against anyone who passes the federally required background check, not just the clients named in our original lawsuit.Â
The Constitution does not protect the right to keep and bear arms only for those who can afford to bring a lawsuit or happen to be named in one. When a court recognizes that a law violates the Constitution, that victory should mean something beyond the courtroom.Â
New Mexico has made clear that it will not stop enforcing this law against everyone else without another court order. So, we’re going back to court to seek that order.Â
Protecting your constitutional rights means more than winning a case. It means making sure that victory counts.Â
Thank you for standing with MSLF as we continue to defend the Second Amendment and the constitutional freedoms of all Americans.Â
Sincerely,Â
Michael McCoyÂ
General Counsel and Director of MSLF’s Center to Keep and Bear ArmsÂ
Mountain States Legal FoundationÂ
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Our Contact Information
Mountain States Legal Foundation
2596 S. Lewis Way
Lakewood, CO 80227
303-292-2021
http://www.mslegal.org
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