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''District of Columbia v. Heller'' is the most significant [[gun control]] case in the [[United States]] in about 70 years.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/washington/13scotus.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss NY Times article].</ref>  Oral argument before the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] is scheduled for March 18, and Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] has taken the unusual step of authorizing early release of an audio recording of argument to the public.<ref>http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-scotus-audio,0,7739435.story</ref>

''District of Columbia v. Heller'' is the most significant [[gun control]] case in the [[United States]] in about 70 years.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/washington/13scotus.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss NY Times article].</ref>  Oral argument before the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] is scheduled for March 18, and Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] has taken the unusual step of authorizing an early release of the audio recording of argument to the public.<ref>http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-scotus-audio,0,7739435.story</ref>

In March 2007, The Court of Appeals for the [[D.C. Circuit]] invalidated a 31-year-old [[gun control]] statute in the [[District of Columbia]] based on an interpretation that the [[Second Amendment]] protects an individual right to own firearms, by declaring that "the right in question is individual" and not, as gun control proponents claim, a collective right limited to membership in a state militia.<ref>''Parker v. District of Columbia'', 478 F.3d 370 (D.C. Cir. 2007).</ref>  The D.C. statute had completely prohibited residents of the [[District of Columbia]] from possessing firearms in a manner compatible with [[self defense]].  The Court, in striking it down, relied on a Department of Justice memo that observed, "The Second Amendment secures a right of individuals generally, not a right of States or a right restricted to persons serving in militias."<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.pdf DOJ Memo].</ref>

In March 2007, The Court of Appeals for the [[D.C. Circuit]] invalidated a 31-year-old [[gun control]] statute in the [[District of Columbia]] based on an interpretation that the [[Second Amendment]] protects an individual right to own firearms, by declaring that "the right in question is individual" and not, as gun control proponents claim, a collective right limited to membership in a state militia.<ref>''Parker v. District of Columbia'', 478 F.3d 370 (D.C. Cir. 2007).</ref>  The D.C. statute had completely prohibited residents of the [[District of Columbia]] from possessing firearms in a manner compatible with [[self defense]].  The Court, in striking it down, relied on a Department of Justice memo that observed, "The Second Amendment secures a right of individuals generally, not a right of States or a right restricted to persons serving in militias."<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.pdf DOJ Memo].</ref>