District of Columbia vs. Heller
The United States Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller was an appeal arising from the case Parker v. District of Columbia, whereby the Circuit Court of Appeals for District of Columbia held appellate jurisdiction. However, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia possessed original jurisdiction in the Parker case, and for that reason it is also where the case originated. In district court case, the court’s disposition held that Shelly Parker’s (the respondent) Complaint should be dismissed and the District’s (the petitioners) Motion to Dismiss should be granted. The respondent then appealed, whereby certiorari was granted by the circuit court of appeals and a disposition in favor of the respondent was returned. The court further held that the respondent of record (Shelly Parker) had no standing and that the only respondent who had standing was Dick Anthony Heller. Petitioners then brought their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, whereby Heller was the respondent of record.[1]
Since 1976, petitioners have denied citizens within the jurisdiction of the district the right to lawfully possess firearms within their homes. The petitioners have also placed a permanent prohibition for possessing a handgun not registered prior to 1976 within the district. However, long guns (i.e. shotguns and rifles) that are lawfully registered within the city might be possessed, so long as they remain either disassembled or bound by a trigger lock. Even with these weapons bound or disassembled, the resident may not lawfully move the weapon within the home, nor lawfully reassemble the weapon and use it in the course defending one’s own self or their family.[2]
At the time the litigation began, the respondent, Dick Anthony Heller, was employed by the petitioners as a special police officer at the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judicial Center. In the course of his employment, the respondent was entrusted by the petitioners...