BOSTON, MA — In a significant development for Second Amendment litigation, the United States Department of Justice has filed an amicus curiae brief with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, supporting Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) in its ongoing challenge to Massachusetts’s controversial handgun regulations. The case, Granata v. Campbell, targets the state’s “Approved Firearms Roster” and Attorney General’s handgun sales regulations, which plaintiffs argue unconstitutionally ban the commercial sale of handguns that are in common use nationwide.
Filed on January 28, 2026, the federal brief urges the appellate court to reverse a lower court’s decision that upheld the state’s restrictions. The Department of Justice argues that the Massachusetts scheme violates the Second Amendment by prohibiting the sale of firearms that are commonly used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, particularly self-defense.
According to the DOJ’s filing, the Massachusetts regulations operate as a preclearance regime, effectively banning handguns that do not meet a variety of state-imposed criteria — including melting point standards, trigger-pull weights, and inclusion on a state-approved roster. Many popular firearms, including models from Glock, are excluded from sale in Massachusetts as a result.
Plaintiffs in the case include individual Massachusetts residents, firearms retailer The Gun Runner, LLC, and Firearms Policy Coalition, a national nonprofit organization advocating for constitutional rights. They are represented by attorneys from Cooper & Kirk, PLLC and the Chambers Law Office.
The federal government’s brief underscores that the Second Amendment protects the right not just to possess and carry arms, but to acquire them. It further criticizes the district court’s decision for applying an overly narrow interpretation of “infringement,” which, the DOJ argues, undermines established Supreme Court precedent from District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
The First Circuit, which hears appeals from federal courts in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico, will continue briefing into February and March, with oral arguments expected to follow.
A favorable ruling could overturn the state’s long-standing handgun restrictions and restore access to many constitutionally protected firearms for Massachusetts residents.
The Firearms Policy Coalition emphasized the significance of this development, encouraging supporters to remain engaged as the case moves forward. FPC continues to lead litigation across the country to challenge what it views as unconstitutional infringements on Second Amendment rights.
Cases like Granata v. Campbell highlight the critical role that legal advocacy plays in defending and restoring fundamental freedoms. The DOJ’s decision to weigh in affirms that even within the federal government, there is recognition that state-level restrictions cannot supersede constitutional protections.
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