The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit delivered a major win for gun owners this week, ruling that several provisions of New Jersey’s restrictive carry law likely violate the Second Amendment. The decision came in *Koons v. Platkin*, a case brought by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, and other plaintiffs challenging New Jersey’s 2022 “Chapter 131” law passed after the Supreme Court’s landmark *Bruen* decision.
What the Third Circuit Court Decided
Writing for the panel, Judge Cheryl Ann Krause explained that the court had to determine whether New Jersey’s restrictions on carrying firearms are “consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” the test set out in *New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen*. While the court upheld some of the state’s “sensitive place” bans, it struck down several of the most controversial measures.
Specifically, the Third Circuit found that the state’s ban on carrying firearms in private vehicles, the default ban on carrying on private property without explicit permission, the requirement that gun owners carry $300,000 in liability insurance, and the $50 surcharge on handgun carry permits for the Victims of Crime Compensation Office are unconstitutional.
“These provisions impermissibly infringe upon the Second Amendment right,” the court concluded, pointing out that the state had failed to identify any relevant historical tradition that would justify them.
Why This Sucks for NJ’s Gun Banners
The ruling means that New Jersey can no longer enforce those parts of Chapter 131 while the case continues. For everyday gun owners, this is a direct victory. The vehicle ban had effectively made it impossible for permit holders to legally keep a loaded firearm within reach while driving. The private property default ban would have turned nearly all private land into a “gun-free zone” unless the owner posted a sign granting permission. The insurance mandate and fee created new financial barriers to exercising a constitutional right.
The Firearms Policy Coalition celebrated the decision in a public statement. “The Third Circuit has ruled that New Jersey’s bans on carrying in private vehicles and on private property by default, along with the state’s liability insurance requirement for carry permits and $50 carry permit fee for ‘the Victims of Crime Compensation Office account’ likely violate the Second Amendment,” the group wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Bigger Picture ~ More Safety
The court’s ruling also fits into a broader national battle. Federal courts across the country are testing the limits of Bruen as states pass new restrictions. In this opinion, the Third Circuit joined other appellate courts in upholding certain sensitive-place bans—like schools, courthouses, and government buildings—but it drew a firm line against sweeping measures that effectively criminalize ordinary, lawful carry.
New Jersey officials can still try to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But for now, the injunction against the vehicle ban, private property default ban, insurance mandate, and $50 surcharge stands. That makes this decision a major victory for the gun-rights movement, especially in one of the most oppressive and restrictive states in the nation.
What’s Next
The case will continue in the lower courts, but the Third Circuit’s opinion sets binding precedent for New Jersey and other states in the circuit. It also strengthens the hand of gun-rights groups fighting similar laws across the country.
As Judge Krause noted, “the principles we derive from historical examples are distinct from the locations to which we apply them in determining whether a given restriction today passes constitutional muster”. In plain terms, the state cannot stretch the idea of “sensitive places” so far that the right to carry becomes meaningless.
For New Jersey gun owners, that message is clear: the courts are not going to let the state rewrite the Second Amendment out of existence.
