Federal appeals court rules gun ban cannot apply to nonviolent felons

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled on Tuesday that a federal ban on gun possession by convicted felons cannot be constitutionally applied to individuals whose past offenses involved no violence or threats. Fox News reported that the ruling limits the enforcement of the federal restriction under the Second Amendment. [1]

According to Fox News, the Third Circuit issued two separate rulings to clarify how the federal firearm prohibition applies under the Constitution. The court upheld the restriction against a man convicted of carjacking, but determined the ban cannot apply to a man whose previous conviction involved a DUI in the early 2000s. [1]

Fox News noted that the Third Circuit panel includes several judges who were appointed by President Donald Trump. [1]