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No. 22-976October Term 2023Decided Jun 14, 2024

Docket 22-976October Term 2023 (2023–2024)

Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General, et al., Petitioners v. Michael Cargill

The Supreme Court ruled that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by classifying bump stocks as machine guns under federal law.

Case status

Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Jun 14, 2024
Case Accepted
Arguments HeardFeb 28, 2024
Decision ReleasedJun 14, 2024
What it's about

The Supreme Court ruled that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by classifying bump stocks as machine guns under federal law. The Court determined that a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock does not meet the statutory definition of a machine gun because it does not fire more than one shot by a single function of the trigger.

Question presented

Is a bump stock device a “machinegun” as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b)?

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Decision released Jun 14, 2024

Area

Gun Rights