Point-Counterpoint: The Constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

The Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen transformed Second Amendment jurisprudence by replacing means-end scrutiny with a history-and-tradition test, prompting renewed debate over the relationship between fundamental rights and government regulation. This virtual seminar will examine how courts, scholars, and policymakers are navigating that framework in light of United States v. Rahimi and the anticipated decisions in Wolford v. Lopez and United States v. Hemani. Participants will explore the constitutional line between legitimate regulation and unlawful infringement, the role of historical analogues in evaluating firearm laws, and competing theories of natural rights as “regulable liberties.” Through a series of expert panel discussions, the program will provide insight into the evolving legal contours of the Second Amendment and the broader challenge of balancing individual liberty with public order.