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Saturday, April 18, 2026

Judge: State Law Preempts Montgomery County Gun Law - DCist

A Montgomery County law placing limits on firearms oversteps state laws, according to a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge.

Judge Ronald B. Rubin, in a decision issued Monday, said he will issue a permanent injunction blocking portions of the local law.

“In summary, the comprehensive and intertwined scheme of existing state regulation preempts Montgomery County’s efforts…to place additional legal hurdles on wear and carry permit holders, state licensed firearms dealers and privately made firearms,” Rubin wrote in a 21-page decision.

Rubin added that state law “simply does not allow a county effectively to nullify nearly all other state firearms rights and restrictions, at least not in the manner attempted in this instance. The court concludes that the challenged provisions of [county law] conflict with and are preempted by state law. A political subdivision in Maryland simply cannot prohibit (save for a very narrow band of activity not challenged here) what is expressly permitted by state law. To hold otherwise would allow a municipality to substitute its will for that of the General Assembly.”

The ruling was a victory in part for the state, which asked the judge to dismiss Maryland Shall Issue from the case. Rubin agreed that the Second Amendments rights group lacked standing to bring the lawsuit. That decision left nine Montgomery County residents who are owners or employees of Engage Armament, a Montgomery County firearms dealer, as well as other licensed gun owners...



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