Case comparison

United States v. Rahimi and Bruen

How Rahimi applied Bruen's historical-tradition test to a federal domestic-violence firearm restriction.

Cases compared

Docket 22-915United States v. RahimiHistorical analogue applicationCertiorari from the Fifth CircuitDecided June 21, 2024

Docket 20-843New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. BruenFramework caseCertiorari from the Second CircuitDecided June 23, 2022

Relationship

Shared issue: Both cases turn on how courts evaluate firearm regulations under the Second Amendment after looking to historical tradition.
Key difference: Bruen invalidated a public-carry licensing rule. Rahimi upheld a temporary firearm ban tied to domestic-violence restraining orders.
Procedural posture: Bruen reviewed a civil challenge to a state licensing regime. Rahimi reviewed a criminal prosecution after the Fifth Circuit held the federal statute facially unconstitutional.
Outcome: Bruen announced the history-and-tradition framework. Rahimi clarified that historical analogues need not be identical to modern firearm restrictions.

Use the Rahimi and Bruen opinions for source language before adding doctrinal detail.
This page compares doctrine and outcome; it is not a full Second Amendment issue hub.