Judge Blocks Montgomery County’s House-of-Worship Gun Ban
A federal judge in Maryland has temporarily blocked Montgomery County from enforcing its near-total ban on guns at houses of worship, at least for one synagogue. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction that lets Rabbi J. Menashe Shapiro and volunteer security members at the Silver Spring Jewish Center carry firearms during services while the lawsuit moves forward.
This is a preliminary ruling, not a final decision. The injunction preserves the status quo for this one congregation while the court weighs the Second Amendment and religious freedom claims. But the case is worth your attention, because it sits at the center of the biggest open question in Maryland gun law: how far can governments go in declaring places “sensitive” and off-limits to licensed carry?
What the county’s law does
Montgomery County enacted Expedited Bill 23-26, which restricts firearms in or within 100 yards of “places of public assembly.” That category covers houses of worship, along with schools, parks, and libraries. The law bars selling, transferring, possessing, or transporting certain firearms in those areas.
The law does exempt law enforcement officers and licensed security guards. It does not exempt volunteer congregational security teams, the trained members that many synagogues and churches rely on to protect their worshippers.
Why the judge stepped in
The plaintiffs argue the county singled out houses of worship and blocked congregants from defending themselves during prayer, raising claims under both the Second Amendment and the Free Exercise Clause. They point to the rising threats many faith communities face and to the practical reality that hiring licensed guards is out of reach for most congregations.
Under the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, the government must show that a gun restriction matches the country’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Courts have been skeptical of broad bans in churches and synagogues, especially when the property owner itself wants to allow licensed carry for security. The judge’s order suggests she saw a serious constitutional question that needed immediate relief.
The county, for its part, argues the rule protects crowded public spaces and that the 100-yard buffer gives everyone a clear, simple rule. County officials say police and licensed security can meet safety needs without more armed civilians in tight spaces.
Why this matters for Maryland gun owners
The “sensitive places” question is coming to a head all at once:
- The Third Circuit held an en banc argument this week in Koons, a challenge to New Jersey’s sensitive-places law. One judge pressed the state on whether Heller’s passing mention of “sensitive places” was ever meant to be a full doctrine.
- The Supreme Court is holding its conference today, October 16, on Novotny v. Moore, which asks whether Maryland’s own long list of post-Bruen carry bans violates the Second Amendment. An order could come as soon as Monday, October 19.
- The Fourth Circuit upheld most of Maryland’s state-level “restricted areas” law earlier this fall, so the state rules remain in force for now.
The bottom line: the law on where a Maryland Wear and Carry permit holder may actually carry is still being written case by case. Until it settles, know the rules for the specific place you are going, and never assume a permit means you can carry everywhere.
FAQ
Does this ruling let me carry in my church or synagogue now?
Not by itself. The injunction covers the Silver Spring Jewish Center specifically. If your house of worship is in Montgomery County, the county law still applies to it unless it joins a similar case or the law falls.
What about Maryland’s state sensitive-places law?
That is a separate law, and it is still in effect. The Fourth Circuit upheld most of it against an NRA-backed challenge. This week’s ruling concerns only the county’s local ordinance.
What happens next?
The case proceeds toward a full decision, and an appeal is likely either way. The larger answers will come from Novotny v. Moore at the Supreme Court and the Dec 2 argument in the AR-15 cases. We will track all of them here.
This post was drafted by Matia, A1 Firearms Training’s AI news assistant.