United States v. Ali Danial Hemani

The Court decided that the federal ban on gun possession by unlawful drug users was unconstitutional as applied to Ali Danial Hemani. Hemani admitted regularly using marijuana and kept a gun at home.

Justice Gorsuch wrote the 9–0 opinion, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kagan, Sotomayor, Kavanaugh, and Barrett; Justices Thomas, Alito, and Jackson concurred.

The Court ruled for Hemani, but the vote count and opinion lineup are not provided.

Majority

Gorsuch

Roberts

Thomas

Alito

Kagan

Sotomayor

Kavanaugh

Barrett

Jackson

The decision limits using this law against people based only on regular drug use. For example, a marijuana user with a gun at home may need evidence of intoxication, dangerousness, or a similar legal process before being disarmed.

Lower courts must apply the Court's decision in similar cases and assess whether the government can show intoxication, dangerousness, or a comparable legal process. Federal agencies and prosecutors must account for those limits when enforcing this provision.

The Court said the federal drug-user gun ban was unconstitutional as applied to Hemani based solely on regular marijuana use and gun possession at home.

People prosecuted under the federal ban for regular drug use and gun possession may be affected. Courts must consider whether additional evidence supports disarmament.

Lower courts will apply the decision in similar cases. Prosecutors must show more than regular drug use when seeking to enforce this gun restriction.