The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit struck down New Jersey's assault weapons ban, ruling the statute violates the Second Amendment. The decision represents a major defeat for one of the nation's most restrictive gun-control regimes.

New Jersey's ban prohibited the manufacture, sale, transfer, and possession of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns with certain features, including adjustable stocks and pistol grips. The state enacted the law in 1990 and expanded it significantly in 2018. Violation carried felony penalties and mandatory minimum sentences.

The Third Circuit applied the framework established by the U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, which recognized an individual's right to possess firearms for lawful purposes like self-defense. The court examined whether the banned firearms fall within the scope of Second Amendment protection and whether the state's justification survives constitutional scrutiny.

The panel found that semiautomatic rifles are in common use for lawful purposes, including self-defense. The court determined New Jersey failed to demonstrate that the ban substantially advances important government interests in ways that do not burden the Second Amendment more than necessary.

The ruling directly challenges the legal foundation New Jersey built over three decades of aggressive firearms regulation. The state permits substantially fewer weapons than most jurisdictions and imposes strict licensing requirements even for handguns. New Jersey's Attorney General may petition for en banc review or appeal to the Supreme Court, though review is uncertain.

This decision aligns with a broader judicial trend following the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which invalidated New York's concealed carry licensing regime. Lower courts have increasingly applied Bruen's originalist methodology to strike down gun restrictions previously thought constitutionally sound.

The practical implications extend beyond New Jersey. Courts nationwide now scrutinize assault weapons