Estimated studying time: 3 minutes
What occurs if you legally purchase a rifle throughout a court-ordered injunction, solely to be instructed a 12 months later you’re now a prison for proudly owning it? Should you reside in Illinois, buckle up.
Washington Gun Legislation’s William Kirk simply broke down a bombshell ruling within the case Reece v. Raoul—an unpublished Illinois appellate court docket opinion that will not be binding but, however has large implications for gun homeowners within the state.
Keep in mind that temporary window from April 28 to Could 4, 2023, when the Defend Illinois Communities Act (PICA) was briefly blocked by an injunction? Hundreds of Illinois residents lawfully bought semi-automatic rifles throughout that point. Quick ahead to 2025, and at the least one Illinois court docket now says: powerful luck. You may’t legally possess that gun anymore.
That’s proper. The court docket dominated that should you purchased your rifle throughout that one-week window, you’re out of luck until it was in your palms earlier than January 10, 2023—and registered by January 1, 2024. Missed these dates? The state says you don’t have a authorized leg to face on.
Let’s name it what it’s: backdoor confiscation.
William Kirk factors out that whereas the court docket didn’t technically order confiscation, it gave two decisions—retailer your firearm out of state or eliminate it. Both method, Illinois is making lawful possession unattainable inside its borders.
Worse but, the plaintiff in Reece didn’t even problem the constitutionality of the regulation. As an alternative, he relied on procedural doctrines like equitable estoppel and justifiable reliance.
Translation: he argued it’s not honest to alter the foundations mid-game. The court docket shrugged and stated equity isn’t the problem—you must’ve recognized the injunction might vanish at any time.
The kicker? This ruling could be unpublished, however you may guess anti-gun politicians will use it as ammo. Count on to see it cited when the following lawsuit pops up.
Should you registered your rifle after shopping for it throughout Freedom Week? You simply handed Illinois every thing they should take it. That registry is a roadmap to your entrance door.
Kirk lays it out plainly: “Should you legally bought one thing, and the state later says you may’t personal it, and forces you to eliminate it—that’s confiscation.”
This isn’t simply an Illinois drawback. It’s a take a look at run for a way far courts will let governments go in criminalizing regular, lawful gun possession.
The battle isn’t over. However the message from Illinois courts is loud and clear: confiscation is on the desk; and the law-abiding gun proprietor is all the time the best goal.
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