Final Answer
In District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for self-defense within the home.
Step-by-step explanation:
The District of Columbia v. Heller case, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008, centered around the interpretation of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Court, in a landmark decision, held that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to keep and bear arms for self-defense, particularly within the confines of one's home. The ruling clarified that the right to possess firearms is not solely tied to militia service, as some argued, but extends to individuals for personal protection.
This decision struck down certain provisions of the District of Columbia's gun control laws, which had imposed a virtual ban on the private possession of handguns. The Court, in reaching its decision, emphasized the individual's right to self-defense as a fundamental aspect of the Second Amendment. The majority opinion, authored by Justice Antonin Scalia, affirmed that the government could still regulate firearms, but it could not outright prohibit citizens from possessing commonly used and lawfully owned firearms within their homes.
The Heller decision marked a significant milestone in the ongoing debate over gun rights in the United States, affirming that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess firearms for self-defense, particularly in the private setting of one's own home.