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West Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 23-2275 · judgment June 18, 2025

Certiorari denied · June 30, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 14% cert probability (95% interval 9%–22%)

Before the decision, about 3.4× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a petition filed soon after the judgment below, and a business petitioner.

Question presented

Whether a federal law that bans licensed sales of handguns and handgun ammunition to law-abiding 18-to-20-year-old adults violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
David H. Thompson
Cooper & Kirk, PLLC

For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 3 conferences

Amicus briefs
1 cert-stage

Proceedings

  1. Jun 30 2026
    Petition DENIED. Justice Thomas would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari.
  2. Jun 29 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/29/2026.
  3. Jun 22 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/25/2026.
  4. Oct 29 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/14/2025.
  5. Oct 28 2025
    Reply of petitioner West Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
    Main DocumentProof of ServiceCertificate of Word Count
  6. Oct 24 2025
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
    Main Document
  7. Oct 20 2025
    Brief of Federal Respondents filed.
    Main DocumentProof of Service
  8. Sep 15 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted in part and the time is further extended to and including October 20, 2025.
  9. Sep 12 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 3, 2025 to November 3, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
    Main Document
  10. Sep 03 2025
    Brief amici curiae of West Virginia, et al. filed.
    Main DocumentProof of ServiceCertificate of Word Count
  11. Aug 12 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 3, 2025.
  12. Aug 11 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 3, 2025 to October 3, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
    Main Document
  13. Jul 31 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 3, 2025)
    PetitionCertificate of Word CountProof of Service