A pro-Second Amendment group asked the Supreme Court Wednesday not to declare a case challenging an Illinois county’s ban on modern semiautomatic firearms moot.
asserted
case → ask → firearms
Cook County, Illinois, asked the Supreme Court Nov. 5 to drop a Second Amendment case involving the area’s semiautomatic gun ban after Cutberto Viramontes filed paperwork seeking to be dropped from Viramontes v. Cook County, which the justices had agreed to hear on June 30.
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justices → ask → June
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) told the justices in their Wednesday response that the case still had another plaintiff, Christopher Khaya, who wanted to buy an AR-15-style rifle.
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who → tell → rifle
(RELATED: Gun-Rights Group Asks Supreme Court To Put Blue State’s Gun Ban Appeal On Ice)
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Court → ask → Ice
SAF and its partners have filed a response brief with the Supreme Court in Viramontes v. Cook County responding to Cook County’s effort to moot the case.
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SAF → file → case
In late October, the lead plaintiff in SAF’s landmark “assault weapons” ban case, Mr. Viramontes, asked to be dismissed from the case.
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plaintiff → ask → case
Following that request, Cook County filed a brief with the Supreme Court suggesting the case should be mooted and dismissed.
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case → follow → Court
Today, SAF and its partners replied to Cook County and explained to the Court why the case should continue.
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case → reply → Court
This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear SAF’s two cases – Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins – challenging bans on commonly owned rifles, including the AR-15, in both Cook County, Ill., and Connecticut.
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Court → agree → County
Originally filed in 2021, Viramontes challenges Cook County’s ban on many commonly owned modern firearms, which was the precursor for the nearly identical statewide ban passed by the Illinois legislature.
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which → file → legislature
In Grant, SAF is challenging Connecticut’s ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles – both by name and by feature set.
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SAF → challenge → set
“There’s every reason this case can and should continue,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut.
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Kraut → ’ → ?
“We fully expect the Court to agree with our position on Viramontes, but regardless of the Court’s decision, this issue will be heard.
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issue → expect → decision
SAF has a second case – Grant v. Higgins – that was also granted cert by the Supreme Court so no matter what the Court decides on Viramontes, we will still have the opportunity to present our case to the Justices on Dec. 2.”…
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we → have → Dec.
Read more here: https://t.co/OPkOIqMu5I
— SAF (@2AFDN) November 11, 2026
“If anything is ‘similar’ to an AR-15, an AK-47style rifle such as the IMI Galil sought by Petitioner Khaya would qualify,” SAF told the high court.
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SAF → read → court
“Indeed, Cook County’s own ordinance groups these rifles together by name and features, classifies them as so-called ‘assault weapons,’ and bans them.
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ordinance → group → them
The County has not contested any of this until now—and in fact has in its briefing defined the AK-47 as an ‘AR-15 platform weapon[ ].’
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County → contest → weapon
It has accordingly waived, or at least forfeited, any argument that the AK-47-based Galil falls outside the question presented.”
The Galil assault rifle was originally entered in a competition for a new service weapon for the Israeli Defense Forces and was based off the Finnish M60 rifle, a modified Kalashnikov chambered in 5.56mm NATO, according to WeaponsFactory.com.
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rifle → waive → WeaponsFactory.com
It comes with standard 25, 35 or 50-round magazines and has an effective range of 600 yards.
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It → come → yards
SAF’s brief also included declarations from Khaya and another Illinois resident, Ed Smolen, stating their interests in buying or possessing AR-15-style rifles.
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brief → include → rifles
While Khaya indicated that he was seeking to purchase an AR-15 in addition to the civilian version of the Galil, Smolen said he owned an AR-15, but had to store it in another state due to the Cook County law.
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he → indicate → law
“I have owned an AR-15 platform semiautomatic rifle since 2011 but keep it out of state,” Smolen said in his declaration.
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Smolen → own → declaration
“If it were lawful to do so, I would possess my AR-15 at my residence in Cook County for lawful purposes including self-defense.”
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I → do → defense
When the justices agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County, they consolidated the case with Grant v. Higgins, a similar case challenging Connecticut’s ban on modern semiautomatic firearms, including the AR-15.
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they → agree → AR-15
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Dec. 2 and is expected to issue its decision on the case in summer 2027.
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Court → hear → summer
The Aporia
