Second Amendment to the United States Constitution
The case District of Columbia v. Heller (554 U.S. 570 (2008)), was another landmark case. It was the first time in almost 70 years that the Supreme Court applied the Second Amendment to a review of gun control laws. The Supreme Court of the United States held in a 5-4 decision that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution applied to the Federal district and protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for lawful purposes. This struck down the D.C. handgun ban because it violated citizens' Second Amendment rights. The decision also called United States v. Miller an exception to the general rule that Americans may possess firearms. The Court said: