Date Filed: January 31, 2023
Original Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Appeals: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Case Status: Victory
Blake Watterson is an ordinary gun owner in Texas who keeps firearms to defend his family. During the Biden Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) issued a rule that reclassified pistols with a stabilizing brace as short-barreled rifles. Without proper registration, the National Firearms Act provides severe penalties for owning a short-barreled rifle. Watterson was at risk of becoming a felon overnight for owning a gun that he legally purchased.
Stabilizing braces are a common accessory that allows individuals—particularly those with disabilities—to fire a pistol accurately and safely. For years, the government has recognized these accessories as legal. The Biden Administration’s unlawful reclassification of braced pistols turned millions of law-abiding Americans into felons overnight. CAF attorneys argued that the rule exceeded ATF’s authority, imposed vague standards, and infringed on gun owners’ constitutional rights.
CAF filed its lawsuit on the same day the rule was published. Several other parties challenged the rule as well, and another court reached its decision first. The court in Mock v. Garland found that the rule violated the Administrative Procedure Act in several ways. The court vacated the rule, delivering a win for gun owners nationwide. Because the Watterson case was still in a preliminary posture when Mock was decided, the Watterson case was dismissed as moot. Although the government appealed the decision in Mock, the Trump Administration decided to withdraw the appeal. Doing so preserves the district court’s decision and provides durable relief for gun owners.
Case Documents:
Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Relief
Defendant’s Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Relief
Plaintiff’s Reply in Support of Motion for Preliminary Relief