Separate challenges against Illinois’ gun ban progressing
(The Center Square) – Lawsuits brought against Illinois’ new gun ban are working their way through the judicial process.
On the heels of getting a temporary restraining order in the Effingham County state-level challenge last week, attorney Thomas DeVore’s law partner argued before a judge Wednesday for a TRO in a separate White County state-level case on behalf of nearly 1,700 plaintiffs.
“He took it under advisement,” DeVore told The Center Square Wednesday. “Asked to submit proposed draft orders and said he’d get a ruling out as quick as he possibly could.”
Earlier this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted a law banning the sale of certain semi-automatic firearms and magazine capacities in Illinois. Several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the ban have been filed.
In the Effingham County case, DeVore is filing a response to the state’s appeal of the TRO issued on behalf of 866 plaintiffs.
“I would suspect sometime a week from now, another seven days, next Wednesday maybe, the [5th Judicial Appellate Court] would render its decision and choose to uphold the judge’s restraining order or find a way to send it back for some reason, one way or another,” DeVore said.
Separately, the Illinois State Rifle Association’s federal lawsuit had a motion for a preliminary injunction filed Wednesday.
In a separate federal case from Illinois Gun Rights Alliance Wednesday, a judge was assigned. Todd Vandermyde said there’s a common goal among those pursuing legal challenges to the state’s gun ban, and that’s to block the law. He said his group plans to “aggressively” oppose any delays from the state defendants.
“We have seen a pattern of practice with the attorney general’s office to come in and ask for three and four 30-day extensions on their filing times and I don’t think the citizens of Illinois can sit here and have their rights trampled upon for three or four months while we wait for him to get his act together,” Vandermyde told The Center Square.
A third federal case from the National Shooting Sports Foundation also had a judge assigned Wednesday.
More lawsuits are expected.
