New Jersey is well known as one of the most restrictive states when it comes to firearm ownership, things may change though as the state has been issued a major lawsuit that threatens to change everything.
New Jersey has had long-standing gun control laws and firearms regulations that have served as a blueprint for national legislation. The Gun Control Act of 1968 cites New Jersey’s 1966 firearms law, and there are many other cases. One particular policy that has affected the state’s residents is the carry permit laws. The state shifted from Shall Issue to May Issue to No Issue in a very short period of time. This permit policy is one that is now coming under fire in a major lawsuit.
The Firearm Policy Coalition (FPC) has recently announced that they are filing a major court case against the state, the case will be titled Francisco v. Cooke.
The organization has provided some of the background information for the case in a recent announcement.
The lawsuit was filed by New York-based firm Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP on behalf of Daniel Francisco, the president of advocacy organization Blue Star Union, a councilman for Englishtown, New Jersey and former Executive Director at Project Veritas, as well as Ori Katzin, the co-owner of a local interior design firm, a former member of the Israeli Defense Forces, and a certified firearms instructor. Katzin alleges in the complaint that he was attacked in an assault caught on camera and documented with police authorities. In spite of their legal eligibility to possess firearms and desire to carry handguns for self-defense, Francisco and Katzin were both denied a permit by New Jersey local police officials and judges, who are named as defendants in the case, along with state officials.
The structure of the laws this lawsuit intends to battle is as backward as laws can be. The case does not only challenge permit requirements and permit status but it is challenging the process of getting a handgun in the state.
For reference, in the state of New Jersey, you must first obtain a permit to carry a handgun before you can buy one. Considering it is extremely difficult to get these permits it is effectively impossible to get a handgun legally. As mentioned in the announcement from FPC, one man was assaulted and had a reasonable fear that he was going to be assaulted again but still could not obtain a permit for the purposes of self-defense.
This lawsuit aims to settle these issues once and for all. A major disruption here, in one of America’s Gun Control capitals, would pave the way to some series victories in the future.
Firearms Policy Coalition is a highly reputable group and they have picked a heavy-hitting law firm to aid them in this fight, odds are that 2A will come out on top.
