For several years, the Supreme Court has been ducking gun-rights cases. In 2008 the justices for the first time declared individuals have a Second Amendment right to keep a handgun in the home. They expanded on that 5 to 4 ruling two years later, clarifying that it applied to all states. And then the court became gun-shy. The justices lately have declined to hear an appeal in a New Jersey case on the constitutionality of local officials' discretion over whether to issue permits for the concealed carrying of handguns. The court also steered clear of a case challenging Texas' ban on concealed carry by people under 21.
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