In an opinion containing no legal analysis, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the U.S. District Court’s ruling that HB 89 did not decriminalize carrying guns in airports.  A copy of the opinion and all the other court documents may be viewed here.

GCO has filed its reply brief in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals for its appeal of its case against the City of Atlanta for illegally threatening to arrest GFL holders for carrying firearms in the unsecured areas of the Airport. All the briefs in the case can be read here.

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and Georgians for Gun Safety have filed an amicus brief in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals case between GCO and Atlanta over whether any existing law prohibits GFL holders from carrying firearms at the Airport.  Ostensibly in support of Atlanta, the amicus brief does not cite any law that prohibits such carry.  Rather, it claims that Georgia has no authority to regulate firearms at the Airport because federal law occupies this field completely, leaving no room for state regulation.  The inescapable conclusion from the amicus brief is that because no federal law prohibits firearms in the unsecured areas of the airport and any state laws on this topic are preempted, no law prohibits guns in the unsecured areas of the airport.

Exactly.

It would frequently behoove those making an argument to examine the logical consequences of making it before inserting it into the public record.

The City of Atlanta has filed its brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, where GCO is appealing a trial court decision that ruled HB89 does not apply to airports.  In the case, GCO seeks to establish that Atlanta violates the civil rights of people by threatening to arrest them for carrying a firearm in the Airport when no law prohibits carry by GFL holders.  The briefs in the case can be read here.

GCO has filed its brief in support of its appeal in the Atlanta Airport gun case.  GCO sued Atlanta in federal district court because of Atlanta’s threats to arrest people lawfully carrying firearms in the Atlanta Airport.  The district court granted Atlanta’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, finding that GCO had not introduced sufficient evidence that HB 89 (which decriminalized carrying firearms “on public transportation” for GFL holders) applies to airports (overlooking the fact that a party is neither permitted nor required to introduce evidence in opposition to a motion for judgment on the pleadings).  GCO has appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.  A copy of the brief may be viewed here.

GCO has filed a notice of appeal from the September 26, 2008 judgment of the federal court in GCO’s case against the City of Atlanta regarding the City’s program of illegally searching, detaining, and arresting GFL holders for lawfully carrying firearms in the non-secure areas of the Atlanta airport.  The appeal will be heard by a 3-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

GCO has filed an answer to counterclaims from the City of Atlanta in a federal lawsuit over the legality of carrying firearms in the airport.  In its counterclaims, Atlanta seeks a declaration that HB 89, the bill that decriminalized airport carry for GFL holders, is preempted by (an unspecified) federal law.  The city also seeks an injunction against GCO and Rep. Bearden against carrying firearms at the airport.  The documents may be viewed here.

Recently published in various media outlets was the unprecedented request by an airport (Hartsfield-Jackson) for the TSA to amend its security plan and allow the airport to ban firearms outside of the secure areas. GCO is currently in court fighting Hartsfield over its ban so we were surprised to find out that the airport is trying to create a back door way to ban firearms if their case should fail. In addition to our letter to the TSA to deny Hartsfield’s request of the security plan change, we have also asked the TSA for all the documents Atlanta submitted to the them for the request to change the security plan. It will be about a month before we get that requested information. You can view GCO’s FOIA request here.

GCO has written Kip Hawley, head of the TSA, asking him to reject Atlanta’s request to amend its airport security plan to include a ban on guns throughout the airport property.  A copy of the letter may be viewed here.

GCO has filed responses to Atlanta’s motions in the Airport gun ban case in federal court in Atlanta.  In the case, GCO challenges Atlanta’s policy of arresting people for carrying firearms in the airport, even if they have GFLs.  Atlanta filed a motion seeking to exclude GCO’s evidence of the legislative history of HB 89, which removed restrictions against carrying in the airport for GFL holders.  Atlanta also filed a rare motion for judgment on the pleadings, asking the court to dismiss the case without looking at any evidence.  GCO also filed a reply in support of GCO’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which GCO requested to stop Atlanta from arresting people for nonexistent crimes while the case is pending.  A hearing will be held August 11 to determine if the preliminary injunction should be issued.  Documents in the case may be viewed here.