Feb 2 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday declared unconstitutional a federal law making it a crime for people under domestic violence restraining orders to own firearms.
Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest victory for gun rights advocates since a Supreme Court ruling last June granting a broad right for people to carry firearms outside the home.
In Thursday's decision, Circuit Judge Cory Wilson said banning people under domestic violence restraining orders from owning firearms "embodies salutary policy goals meant to protect vulnerable people in our society.".
Rahimi had been under a restraining order since Feb. 2020, following his alleged assault of a former girlfriend.
"Whether analyzed through the lens of Supreme Court precedent, or of the text, history, and tradition of the Second Amendment, that statute is constitutional," Garland said.
The 5th Circuit is based in New Orleans, and its decision applies in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Raju Gopalakrishnan. »
