Firearms Law and the Second Amendment

Federal and state gun laws are vast, complex, and often misunderstood. Second Amendment jurisprudence, which was almost nonexistent until the twenty-first century, continues to evolve rapidly after the landmark Supreme Court cases of Heller and McDonald, which affirmed the constitutional right to private firearms and extended that right to constrain state action. This course examines the historical and continuing development of the constitutional right to keep and bear arms, the intricacies of state firearms laws and regulations, and the ever-present policy issues that surround gun control and public safety.