Ninth Circuit Dismisses California, Giffords Ghost-Gun Challenge

The Ninth Circuit ruled that California and the Giffords law center lacked standing to challenge the ATF’s 2022 ghost gun rule, saying their claimed harms were speculative and not concrete injuries. The panel vacated a lower court’s decision and directed dismissal of the suit, underscoring that standing requires a direct, litigable injury rather than predictions about third-party behavior. The central issue was ATF’s decision to treat partially completed receivers or frames as firearms only when sold with tools, leaving unfinished parts unregulated, which the plaintiffs argued created a loophole. The court stressed that even if the rule affects enforcement or funding decisions, such consequences must constitute actual, not merely potential, harm. This ruling follows other Ninth Circuit decisions on gun-regulation challenges and stands in the broader context of ongoing legal disputes over ghost gun regulations. California and Giffords did not immediately discuss appeal options.”,