BOULDER – Boulder County is the second Colorado government to be hit with a temporary restraining order by a federal judge over its gun control measures.
U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted the restraining order on Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners over Boulder County’s recent gun control rules that include a ban on assault weapons.
It’s the fifth lawsuit brought by the gun advocacy group in Colorado – including one targeting the state’s 15-round magazine capacity limit – after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a New York gun law.
The high court’s ruling reinforces the group’s belief that the local gun restrictions infringe on Second Amendment rights. The organization promised a wave of lawsuits after the decision.
Now, the group is suing the city of Boulder, city of Louisville, and the town of Superior over similar gun restrictions in legal battles that may set the groundwork for future Second Amendment litigation.
In the motion for a temporary restraining order, the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners’ lawyers cited the temporary restraining order granted by another federal judge against town of Superior last month.
“After the Superior case, it was pretty much a slam dunk for us,” said Taylor Rhodes, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners’ executive director, “We fully expect to win all five of our suits now.”
Gloria Handyside, spokesperson for Boulder County, said in a statement, “The county plans to present a defense of its ordinance, along with the municipal ordinances, at a preliminary injunction hearing. At the hearing, the county will demonstrate that its assault weapons ordinance is constitutionally sound.”
Also on Tuesday, Superior filed an unopposed motion requesting to consolidate the four lawsuits into one. The Rocky Mountain Gun Owners supports the motion and is awaiting a decision from the judge.
