LAFAYETTE, LA — Just three days after issuing a final judgment in Reese v. ATF, U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays has vacated the ruling, halting enforcement of the order that had narrowly applied constitutional protections to a select few and controversially required gun rights groups to turn over their membership lists.
In a brief order issued October 10, 2025, the court granted a joint motion to alter or amend the October 7 judgment. As a result, that previous judgment is now vacated, meaning it has been nullified and is no longer legally in effect.
The original judgment had declared that the federal handgun sales ban for adults aged 18 to 20 violated the Second Amendment, in line with a January ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. However, it limited relief to only three named plaintiffs and individuals who were members of the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), or Louisiana Shooting Association (LSA) as of November 6, 2020—and only within the Fifth Circuit’s jurisdiction.
The order had also required those organizations to hand over a “verified list” of members to the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives within 21 days, sparking strong backlash and privacy concerns among gun rights advocates.
Following widespread criticism from SAF, FPC, and their members, both sides apparently agreed to revisit the terms of the judgment. Judge Summerhays has now ordered a telephone conference to be scheduled to set a hearing on the motion and determine whether further written arguments will be needed.
For now, the October 7 ruling no longer stands.
This development marks a significant pause in the case, giving the plaintiffs and the court another opportunity to address the scope of constitutional relief and the controversial issue of forced membership disclosures.
This outcome is not only a step back from what many saw as an overreach, but it also reinforces the importance of due process in ensuring constitutional rulings are properly implemented.
Gun rights supporters and legal observers will be watching closely as the court reconsiders how to apply the Fifth Circuit’s clear guidance that peaceable adults aged 18 to 20 are not second-class citizens under the Second Amendment.
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