As a consolidation of ScotusBlog and DCGunCase:

• D.C. opening brief - due in 45 days - first week in January.
• amicus briefs due - second week in February.
• Oral Arguments - week of March 17.
• June 2008 - Possible decision.

If this feels slow, just remember that it has taken 31 years to get to this point.

The Washington Post is reporting ( High Court to Take D.C. Gun Ban Case ) that the Supreme Court will hear Heller.

Here is the official order.

The docket has something interesting. Added yesterday is "Nov 15 2007 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 20, 2007." This is not an unusual entry, except is the second distribution. Previously there was "Oct 24 2007 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 9, 2007."

I don't know how unusual this duplicate is, but there had been an expectation after the first entry, the Supreme Court would decide whether or not to hear D.C. v. Heller.

Now we have a second distribution.

Obviously, no decision was made after the first, either for or against hearing the case. 

The one thing we do know: No decision to hear or not will be published before the 20th. 

Hillary Clinton, as president, would be a disaster for our gun rights on a scale potentially larger than that of her husband Bill. Gun grabbers have learned to exclude ten year expirations in bills. But, just by being the Democratic candidate, Hillary poses danger to our rights. The same is actually true for any candidate as far left as she is.

The problem is this: The function of the Republican party is to get Republicans elected. One desirable result is for one party to steal the other party’s voters. By having a candidate somewhat left, the Republicans could acquire right leaning (for that party) Democratic votes. The further left the Democrats go for a candidate, the further left the Republicans can go, still retain their base and pickoff more Democratic votes increasing their chances of success.

And that is where the danger is. A gun grabbing Republican president would either:

• Have a Democratic Congress more than open to his gun grabbing ways,
• Have a split Congress where uncertainty would rule, or
• Have a Republican Congress subject to party forces from the wrong side of our rights.

The bottom line is this: The further left the Democrats go for a Presidential candidate, the more important it is that we on the rights side of the gun issue be active. We must make our voices be heard from now through Election Day. And we must fight for every office: the Presidency, Senators and Representatives.

That is the only way we are going to neuter the power of a Clinton candidacy.

Now is the time when everyone and their brother can file Amicus Curiae briefs in favor or against the Supreme Court hearing Heller. On October 5th, three were received from:

• The American Civil Rights Union,
• The American Academy of Pediatrics, and
• The State of New York representing New York, Hawaii, Illinois and Maryland. 

Never having head of the American Civil Rights Union, they seemed the most intriquing. Our initial impression from the docket was less than impressive given that the address provided was a residence in northern Virginia. But, then there was the website and their mission statement. Most impressive indeed is the Board of Directors.

The American Civil Rights Union seem to be what the ACLU should be, if the were true to their name. 

Favorite line from the  American Civil Rights Union brief:

I wish them all possible luck in their endeavors. 

Check out the teacher interview at Concealed on Campus.