WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will decide whether the District of Columbia can ban handguns, a case that could produce the most in-depth examination of the constitutional right to “keep and bear arms” in nearly 70 years.
The justices’ decision to hear the case could make the divisive debate over guns an issue in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections.
Washington’s government is asking the court to uphold its 31-year ban on handgun ownership in the face of a federal appeals court ruling that struck down the ban as incompatible with the Second Amendment.
Arguments probably will be in March, with a decision expected before the end of June.
The main issue before the justices is whether the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns — which would permit fewer restrictions on gun ownership — or instead merely sets forth the collective right of states to maintain militias.
Gun-control advocates say the Second Amendment was intended to ensure that states could maintain militias. Gun-rights proponents contend the amendment gives individuals the right to keep guns for private uses, including self-defense.
