MN Gun Owners Caucus + 3 Plaintiffs + Partners sue MN

[bstrawse]

https://www.startribune.com/three-young ... 600066032/

Three young Minnesotans are suing for the right to legally carry handguns in public, alleging that the state's minimum permitting age of 21 is discriminatory.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, argues that even though U.S. citizens who are 18 years old are considered adults "for almost all purposes," the state unconstitutionally bans them from carrying handguns outside their homes or automobiles for self-defense.

"There is simply no legal or constitutional justification that an entire class of adult citizens in Minnesota should be completely denied their fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms," said Bryan Strawser, chairman of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which is also part of the lawsuit.

Strawser's nonprofit, in a statement late Monday, billed the suit as "the latest legal effort in the Caucus' planned litigation in Minnesota to secure the right to keep and bear arms throughout the state."

The three plaintiffs — Kristin Worth, Austin Dye and Axel Anderson — filed the complaint alongside the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition. According to the lawsuit, they are also members of the respective groups.

They are suing Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington, Mille Lacs County Sheriff Don Lorge, Douglas County Sheriff Troy Wolbersen and Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry. The three sheriffs are being sued because they represent counties where each of the three plaintiffs live. Harrington's department manages permit-to-carry applications in the state, and applicants must file with their sheriffs.

[Holland&Holland]

Go get it done!

[bstrawse]

Go get it done!

On it

Expect to see more like this later this year.

[westhope]

I believe before the law was changed to "Shall Issue" in 2003, the minimum age was 18 for a permit to carry. Before the " May Issue" law passed in 1975, there was no permit reqiured to carry. If my memory is correct.

[xd ED]

I believe before the law was changed to "Shall Issue" in 2003, the minimum age was 18 for a permit to carry. Before the " May Issue" law passed in 1975, there was no permit reqiured to carry. If my memory is correct.

Was there a minimum age to carry pre '75?

[bstrawse]

Finally some updates & progress in this case - the wheels of justice move slowly.

WORTH V HARRINGTON (18-20 CARRY CASE) UPDATE

Yesterday, both sides in this case, filed in 2021, made several filings and the court scheduled a hearing on the motions for October 5th, 2022 in federal court in Saint Paul.

In this case, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, along with 3 individual plaintiffs and two national gun rights groups (2nd Amendment Foundation & the Firearms Policy Coalition), are suing the State of Minnesota and three county sheriffs to restore the right of adults under 21 years of age to carry loaded, operable arms in public for self-defense and other lawful purposes.

Yesterday, our attorneys filed a Motion for Summary Judgment in this case given the US Supreme Court's ruling in the Bruen case six weeks ago.

Defendants filed their own motions arguing both that they shouldn't be sued over this - and if they can be sued, then the prohibition on carry of firearms by 18-20 year olds is consistent with permissible gun control in Bruen.

In addition, the anti-gun group Giffords, filed asking to be able to enter an Amicus Brief ("friend of the court") sharing their opinions on the issue.

You can find all of the filings on our website at the link below - the "Memorandum of Law" documents are the core arguments from the parties in the lawsuit, but we've made all filings available.

What's next?

We'll be in court on October 5th at 10:00AM at the Federal Court House in Saint Paul, MN for a hearing on these motions.

https://gunowners.mn/our-programs/legal ... carry-case

[LarryFlew]

I believe before the law was changed to "Shall Issue" in 2003, the minimum age was 18 for a permit to carry. Before the " May Issue" law passed in 1975, there was no permit reqiured to carry. If my memory is correct.

Was there a minimum age to carry pre '75?

I'm 74 and they gave me one

[bstrawse]

I believe before the law was changed to "Shall Issue" in 2003, the minimum age was 18 for a permit to carry. Before the " May Issue" law passed in 1975, there was no permit reqiured to carry. If my memory is correct.

Was there a minimum age to carry pre '75?

I'm 74 and they gave me one

I see what you did there

[Lumpy]

I believe that, unfortunately, age-of-majority is among the weakest grounds for lawsuits.

[bstrawse]

I believe that, unfortunately, age-of-majority is among the weakest grounds for lawsuits.

There's a long history of successful cases based on arbitrary age limits on the exercise of a Constitutional right - including on 2nd Amendment issues.

Example:
https://www.latimes.com/california/stor ... titutional

What case history are you referencing here being among the weakest grounds?

[bstrawse]

WE WON.

https://gunowners.mn/press-release-minn ... minnesota/

[dismal]

So, 18 year olds can get carry permits now? If so, cool. Or lit, as the kids say.

[jdege]

https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2023/03/31/federal-judge-rules-minnesotas-under-21-carry-ban-unconstitutional-n69133
Federal judge rules Minnesota's under-21 carry ban unconstitutional

Second Amendment organizations won a major victory in federal court on Friday as U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez ruled that the state’s prohibition on lawful carrying by adults under the age of 21 is not in accordance with the history and tradition of the right to keep and bear arms.

[westhope]

Now, what about the age to purchase a handgun or handgun ammo?

[bstrawse]

Now, what about the age to purchase a handgun or handgun ammo?

Federal issue that is being litigated by our partners in other states.