PHILADELPHIA (November 20, 2020) — Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and two individuals filed a new federal Second and Fourteenth Amendment lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, its Police Commissioner, Danielle Outlaw, and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Robert Evanchick, challenging their laws and policies that infringe law-abiding individuals’ right to bear arms in public. The lawsuit can be found at FPCLegal.org.
The plaintiffs are represented by Adam Kraut, FPC’s Director of Legal Strategy, FPC litigation attorney William Sack, Raymond DiGuiseppe of The DiGuiseppe Law Firm, and Joshua Prince of Civil Rights Defense Firm.
“The recent shutdown of the City’s Gun Permit Unit places Philadelphians who want to carry handguns for self-defense in a particularly dangerous position,” said FPC’s Adam Kraut. “Pennsylvania law prohibits individuals from carrying a firearm in Philadelphia without a license to carry firearms. And State law also prohibits individuals from carrying firearms in public during a declared State of Emergency, which Pennsylvania has been under since Governor Wolf’s 2018 proclamation. Philadelphians who do not have a license are now being completely denied their rights on pain of severe criminal penalties. The Commonwealth’s and City’s laws and polices, and their related enforcement actions, are an unconstitutional total ban on the the right to bear arms. We look forward to vindicating the rights of our clients and all who wish to carry firearms in public for self-defense.”
“It is ironic and outrageous that people are being denied their fundamental right to keep and bear arms in the same city where the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were signed,” said FPC President Brandon Combs. “The City of Brotherly Love doesn’t have any love for the Second Amendment or the rights of its residents, but the Constitution and our Supreme Court have taken their policy choices off the table. FPC will continue fighting forward and work to restore the right to keep and bear arms across the United States. Through this case, other FPC lawsuits, and many more cases that will be filed very soon, FPC will fight for the People who should and must prevail over unconstitutional policies and authoritarians.”
Recently, Firearms Policy Coalition has filed several major federal Second Amendment lawsuits, including challenges to Pennsylvania’s ban on carry by adults under 21 years of age (Lara v. Evanchick), California’s Handgun Ban and “Roster” laws (Renna v. Becerra), Maryland’s carry ban (Call v. Jones), New Jersey’s carry ban (Bennett v. Davis), New York City’s carry ban (Greco v. New York City), the federal ban on the sale of handguns and handgun ammunition by federal firearm licensees (FFLs) to adults under 21 years of age (Reese v. BATFE), and others, with many more cases being prepared today. To follow these and other legal cases FPC is actively working on, visit the Legal Action section of FPC’s website or follow FPC on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube.
The Fetsurka case is another important lawsuit filed as part of FPC’s comprehensive strategy to defend freedom, advance individual liberty, and restore the Constitution and its guarantees for individuals throughout the United States. Individuals who wish to support the lawsuit can do so at JoinFPC.org and www.firearmspolicy.org/philadelphia.
NOTICE — POTENTIAL PLAINTIFFS NEEDED!
FPC is urgently seeking individual and FFL plaintiffs for a number of lawsuits that are being prepared to challenge laws and policies that infringe on fundamental rights, including (but not limited to):
- Laws and policies that prevent individuals from purchasing and/or possessing so-called “assault weapons” (semi-automatic firearms with standard characteristics) and “high-capacity” magazines (standard magazines that hold more than 10 rounds)
- Laws and policies that prevent 18-20-year-old young adults (under age 21) from obtaining handguns from FFLs and carry loaded, operable arms in public for self-defense
- Laws and policies that prevent individual adults (over the age of 18) from carrying loaded handguns and other arms outside of their home
- Laws and policies that prevent individuals from acquiring and/or possessing handguns and other arms without first acquiring a “purchase permit”
- Laws and policies that prevent individuals from acquiring or possessing firearms due to a conviction for a non-violent crime, or mental health adjudication that did not involve an involuntary commitment
- Laws that prevent honorably discharged veterans from acquiring or possessing firearms because they have been classified as “a mental defective” due to the agency’s determination that they “lack the mental capacity to contract or manage his or her own affairs” because they need assistance managing VA benefits and have a fiduciary
If someone you know meets the criteria above, or if you would be interested in participating in litigation as a supporting FFL, please contact us:
If you would like to support FPC’s Call case and many other pro-Second Amendment lawsuits, legal action, and research, please chip in $5, $10, $25, or whatever you can at https://www.firearmspolicy.org/donate or Join the FPC Grassroots Army at JoinFPC.org.
Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to protect and defend constitutional rights—especially the right to keep and bear arms—advance individual liberty, and restore freedom through litigation and legal action, legislative and regulatory action, education, outreach, grassroots activism, other programs. FPC Law is the nation’s largest public interest legal team focused on Second Amendment and adjacent fundamental rights including freedom of speech and due process, conducting litigation, research, scholarly publications, and amicus briefing, among other efforts.