Illinois: Appeals Court Dismisses Deerfield Appeal

The Second Amendment Foundation has posted yet another victory in Illinois. The Second District Appellate Court recently dismissed an attempt by the Village of Deerfield, Illinois to challenge a permanent injunction against the community’s ban on so-called “assault weapons” and “large-capacity magazines.”

SAF was joined in the case by the Illinois State Rifle Association—it’s partner in the landmark 2010 U.S. Supreme Court victory in McDonald v. City of Chicago—on behalf of Deerfield resident Daniel Easterday. Deerfield’s appeal was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, the court ruled.

The plaintiffs were represented by Glen Ellyn attorney David Sigale.

“This effectively shuts down any further effort by the Deerfield administration to encumber law-abiding citizens in the community who own the kinds of legal firearms city officials want to ban,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “We were delighted to once again be working with our good friends at the Illinois State Rifle Association. Together with David Sigale, we make a pretty good team.

“But this was always about much more than teamwork,” he continued. “We’re talking about the right of honest citizens to live without fear of suddenly being turned into criminals by an overzealous government that arbitrarily decides to prohibit possession of a perfectly legal firearm, purchased in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, because of political correctness.”

“Many thanks to Alan M Gottlieb, the Second Amendment Foundation, Illinois State Rifle Association, David Sigale, and all of the people that have supported me,” Easterday said in reaction to the court ruling.

The case had been consolidated with a separate challenge to the Deerfield ban.

“Constitutionally-protected rights cannot be subjected to the extremism of social justice crusades,” Gottlieb said. “It should take more than the mere stroke of a pen to criminalize something so much a part of the American fabric as the legal ownership and possession of firearms that are in common use.

“This is just one more chapter in SAF’s effort to win back firearms freedom, one lawsuit at a time,” he concluded.

Has there been a major Second Amendment victory in your state recently, similar to the Deerfield decision? Share your state and the victory in the comment section.

The Second Amendment Foundation is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.