CHICAGO — A federal appeals court upheld a ban on gun possession for a domestic-violence offender in a case that was being closely watched in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent landmark decision on gun restrictions.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled 10-1 on Tuesday to reinstate a southern Wisconsin man’s conviction for having a gun while on probation for a misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction.
The decision followed the high court’s ruling last month that made Chicago’s outright handgun ban unenforceable. The court held that Americans have the right to own a gun for self-defense.
The Wisconsin case was being watched by advocates of gun rights on one side and of domestic-abuse victims on the other. While the Supreme Court signaled some gun restrictions may survive legal challenges, it offered assurances only on laws that bar felons from having guns. The Associated Press
