Hearing On Hold In Case Challenging Spanberger Semi-Auto Gun Ban

A planned Friday hearing to discuss a potential injunction to block a ban on modern semiautomatic firearms is on hold, a Virginia court ruled Tuesday.

The Circuit Court of Lancaster County, Virginia, issued the order Tuesday, prompting Gun Owners of America and the Virginia Citizens Defense League to file an emergency motion to reinstate the hearing. GOA blasted the order in a Tuesday post on X.

“GOA, GOF, & @VCDL_ORG‘s VA Assault Weapons Ban case has been unjustly stayed & our Friday hearing canceled,” GOA said. “This is a disappointing action by the court & we are exploring avenues to continue to protect gun owners from this law’s implementation in just a few weeks.”

In the filing, GOA criticized attorneys from the office of Democratic Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones for delaying their response to the initial motion.

“On May 18, 2026, Plaintiffs filed their Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction (the ‘Motion’), seeking temporary injunctive relief to protect countless Virginians from the irreparable harm that the Challenged Statutes will immediately inflict beginning on July 1,” GOA’s brief said, later adding, “Despite having had Plaintiffs’ Motion for nearly a month, Defendant waited until June 8 to file a lengthy brief and voluminous exhibits in response to the Motion.”