United States, Petitioner v. Ali Danial Hemani

Ali Danial Hemani was charged with violating a federal law that stops "unlawful users" of drugs from having guns. He argues this law violates his Second Amendment right to bear arms because he was allegedly using marijuana while owning a pistol. The Court must decide if this specific federal restriction is constitutional.

This case could change whether millions of people who use controlled substances, including marijuana in states where it is legal, can legally own firearms. A ruling for Hemani might strike down a long-standing federal restriction used in thousands of criminal cases across the country.

The Court is using this case to clarify the "historical tradition" test from its 2022 Bruen decision. This test requires the government to prove that modern gun laws are similar to laws from the time the Constitution was written. This case tests if there is a historical tradition of disarming drug users.

During oral arguments on March 2, 2026, the parties debated whether historical laws regarding intoxicated people or "dangerous" individuals justify a permanent gun ban for drug users. No specific justice reactions or vote counts are available yet as the Court has not issued its ruling.

The Supreme Court must decide if being a drug user is a valid reason to take away a person's constitutional right to own a gun.

The justices are currently meeting in private to discuss the case and write their opinions. A final decision is expected by the end of the Court's term, which usually concludes in late June.

Hemani was indicted by a grand jury in 2023 for possessing a Glock 19 9mm pistol. The government alleged he was an "unlawful user" of marijuana at the time he had the gun, which violates federal law.

The challenge focuses on 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which bans firearm possession for anyone addicted to or using illegal drugs. Hemani argues this specific part of the law is unconstitutional as applied to his situation.

Under the Bruen standard, the government must show that the drug-user gun ban is consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation. If there is no historical twin for this law, the Court may find it violates the Second Amendment.

Since oral arguments concluded on March 2, 2026, the justices will now vote and draft a written opinion. This document will explain their reasoning and determine if the federal law remains valid.

The case came to the Supreme Court after a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. That lower court's decision on the constitutionality of the gun ban is what the Supreme Court is now reviewing.