Case: George Peterson v. United States, No. 25-1076
Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2026-03-12
Status: Pending
Question Presented: 1. Whether the National Firearms Act’s taxation-and-registration scheme for covered firearms can be justified as a licensing law. 2. Whether the National Firearms Act’s taxation-and-registration scheme violates the Second Amendment with respect to firearm suppressors.
On March 9, 2026, petitioner George Peterson, represented by David H. Thompson, filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the Supreme Court to review a Fifth Circuit decision. The government’s response is due April 13, 2026.
The petition raises two distinct questions. The first asks whether the NFA’s scheme can be defended as a licensing regime. The second tests whether the NFA’s registration and taxation requirements violate the Second Amendment with respect to firearm suppressors. Together, the questions invite the Court to assess both the statutory and constitutional foundations of one of the oldest federal gun-control laws.
The absence of amicus filings at this early stage is unsurprising, but the case will draw attention from Second Amendment litigants and government defenders alike if the Court calls for a response or schedules it for conference. This petition is worth watching as the Court continues to define the outer boundaries of the Second Amendment.