The US Supreme Court announced Tuesday that several Illinois cases seeking a writ of certiorari to the court have been distributed to members of the court for a May 16th conference. This is the first sign that the members of the court might take action to remedy a legal insurrection taking place at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Last fall, a three-judge panel of the federal Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to ignore the Heller and Bruen SCOTUS decisions. The panel held that Land of Lincoln’s gun and magazine ban is likely constitutional under a new “kissin’ cousins” test they dreamed up. What is the “Kissin’ Cousins” test? In so many words, if it looks like a gun the military uses then it can be regulated or banned.

The Center Square has the story:

Cases challenging gun and magazine bans, including several lawsuits from Illinois, have been distributed for an upcoming conference of the U.S. Supreme Court.

After Illinois banned more than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities in January 2023, federal lawsuits were filed. Appeals of separate preliminary actions against the law were shot down by the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last year. Plaintiffs in February asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court moved several Illinois cases, and one challenging Maryland’s ban, to conference for May 16, 2024.

“It’s very significant because we’ve been trying very hard to get a case to the Supreme Court dealing with these issues and I think now we’re going to get there,” the Second Amendment Foundation’s Alan Gottlieb told The Center Square.

Gottlieb expects if the court does take the cases, they will be consolidated.

“The end of the month is realistic to find out,” he said. “And, it may happen in June.”

As the executive director of Guns Save Life, one of the plaintiffs challenging Illinois’ so-called “Protect Illinois Communities Act” gun and magazine ban, I couldn’t be more delighted. Short of having our writ of certiorari accepted and placed on the calendar, this is the next best thing. It certainly beats having our appeals turned away!