The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has ruled that the District can continue requiring a “good reason” from those seeking concealed-carry permits. On Monday, the three-judge panel issued a full stay on a previous decision by federal District Court Judge Frederick Scullin, who ruled in May that the District’s draconian requirements deprived citizens of their Second Amendment rights.
Scullin’s ruling had ushered in a brief era of “shall-issue” concealed carry. But on June 12, an emergency administrative stay was issued, halting the issuance of further permits. Monday’s decision expands on this temporary stay, ensuring that “good reason” requirements remain in place until the appeals process concludes.
While disappointing, the ruling did include a small bit of good news: The court has ordered an expedited appeal, which should eliminate any chance that District officials will try to prolong the appeals process in order to continue enforcing these wrong-headed restrictions.
