No. 23-852October Term 2024Decided Mar 26, 2025
Pamela Bondi, Attorney General, et al., Petitioners v. Jennifer VanDerStok, et al.
This case determined whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) acted within its authority under the Gun Control Act of 1968 when it issued a rule regulating "ghost guns"—weapon parts kits and unfinished frames that can be readily assembled into functional firearms.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Mar 26, 2025
- What it's about
This case determined whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) acted within its authority under the Gun Control Act of 1968 when it issued a rule regulating "ghost guns"—weapon parts kits and unfinished frames that can be readily assembled into functional firearms. The Supreme Court upheld the ATF's rule, finding that such kits and components fall within the statutory definition of a firearm.
Question presented
Did the ATF exceed its statutory authority in promulgating its Final Rule purporting to regulate so-called “ghost guns”?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Decision released Mar 26, 2025
- Area
Gun Rights
Documents
Related cases




Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Mar 30, 2026
- Method
- Methodology
Primary materials8
Supreme Court docket 23-852
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Primary case document
Supreme Court document | Mar 30, 2026
CourtListener docket record
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Questions Presented
brief | Mar 8, 2026
Bondi
opinion | Mar 26, 2025
opinion
opinion | Mar 26, 2025
Oral Arguments - Bondi
audio | Oct 8, 2024
Petition
brief | Feb 7, 2024