# Supreme Court poised to overturn assault weapon bans

> Gun rights groups ask justices to strike down laws that over 100 million Americans voted for in 11 states.
- Title: Supreme Court poised to overturn assault weapon bans
- Summary: Gun rights groups ask justices to strike down laws that over 100 million Americans voted for in 11 states. The Supreme Court may soon prohibit states from…
- Keywords: supreme court, viramontes v. cook county, assault weapons, ar-15, second amendment, gun control, connecticut, cook county, illinois, california, new york, gun rights
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/09/supreme-court-term-assault-weapons-case-guns-galling.html?via=rss
- Author: Jacob D. Charles
- Published: 2026-09-16T09:40:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: supreme court, viramontes v. cook county, assault weapons, ar-15, second amendment, gun control, connecticut, cook county, illinois, california, new york, gun rights
## Over 100 million affected
More than 100 million Americans live in places where weapons like the AR-15 are banned or heavily restricted.
## Hard-won legislative victories
From California's first statewide ban in 1989 after a school shooting killed five children to Virginia's ban this year, these laws were hard-fought.
## Supreme Court takes the case
The Court will hear Viramontes v. Cook County, a Second Amendment challenge to assault weapon bans in Connecticut and Illinois.
## The ruling applies nationwide
Though the case concerns Connecticut and Cook County, the Supreme Court's decision will affect all 11 states with assault weapon bans.
## A democracy argument in reverse
Challengers claim the decision is for "the people" to make, not courts. Yet they're asking judges to overrule what voters chose.

> The decision whether a type of arm is too dangerous for ordinary Americans to possess is one that the people are entitled to make
## Connecticut parents took action
After an AR-15-style weapon killed 6-year-olds, Connecticut citizens voted to expand their assault weapon law.
## Silencing democratic voices
The challengers want the Court to tell parents who buried their children and fought for gun laws that their votes don't matter.
## Federal judges mostly disagree
No assault weapon ban challenge succeeded in federal appeals courts until after the Supreme Court agreed to hear this case.
## A warning about hubris
Conservative Judge Harvie Wilkinson warned against courts disabling representative government as lethal technologies advance at unprecedented pace.

> We shudder to imagine the hubris with which a court would disable representative government
## Key takeaway

The Supreme Court may soon prohibit states from banning assault weapons, overriding democratic decisions made by millions of voters.