On September 6, 2024, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling that California cannot prohibit concealed carry in hospitals.

The case in question, Wolford v. Lopez, is focused on “sensitive places” prohibitions on concealed carry which are present in Hawaii and California.

The three judges ruled unanimously that these bans could be “enforced in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol and in parks, and that California can enforce bans in casinos, libraries, zoos, stadiums and museums,” per Reuters. That said, the three judges also issued a ruling against Hawaii’s prohibition on the concealed carry of handguns in banks “or adjacent parking lots” and against California’s ban on concealed carry in churches, hospitals, and public transportation.

According to AWR Hawkins of Breitbart News, the panel of three judges applied precedents established by Rahimi (2024), Bruen (2022), and Heller (2008) in its ruling. By turning to three precedents, the judges observed that “our Nation has a clear historical tradition of banning firearms at sensitive places,” subsequently differentiating between places that have existed since the founding of the American Republic and places that have emerged in recent times.

Basically, places have existed for years that were just recently deemed to be sensitive. The panel ruled to maintain several “sensitive places” prohibitions while striking down the enforcement of other bans.

Despite how awful California’s laws are — the state is ranked in 48th place according to Guns & Ammo magazine’s best states for gun owners rankings — the judicial system has occasionally come in handy to rule in favor of gun rights. We can thank former President Donald Trump for making key judicial appointments both at the Supreme Court and circuit levels that have led to pro-gun rulings.

We should take these victories wherever we can. However, gun owners must be ready to use other means such as lobbying, legislative pressure, and even nullification to ensure that our rights are upheld.

We can’t afford to put all of our eggs in one basket as far as strategies for securing freedom are concerned.