People v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008)
People v. Heller is one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions regarding the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Does the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protect an individual’s right to possess a firearm for private use in self-defense, unconnected with service in a militia?
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
The Supreme Court held in a 5-4 decision that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.
Heller is significant because it marked the first time the Supreme Court explicitly addressed whether the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns for personal use. This decision has been a foundation for subsequent cases that challenge various firearms regulations, setting a precedent for interpreting the amendment more broadly than just in the context of state militias. For law students, it exemplifies how statutory interpretation and historical context can guide constitutional decisions, offering a critical frame of reference for understanding individual liberties as protected by the Bill of Rights.