US EditionGeorgia Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Those Under 21 From Carrying Handguns in Public
- On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Georgia’s highest court affirmed the legality of a statute that restricts most adults under the age of 21 from carrying handguns in public across the state.
- In 2023, 20-year-old Thomas Stephens from Lumpkin County was refused a license to carry a weapon by a probate court, prompting him to challenge the law.
- The court determined that while the Georgia Constitution affirms an individual's right to possess firearms, it permits the General Assembly to impose regulations on how guns are carried, including imposing age limits and providing exemptions for adults trained in the military.
- Justice Andrew Pinson authored the unanimous opinion affirming that the law represents a legitimate and sensible regulation that preserves the right to keep and bear arms, while describing Stephens' legal challenge as narrowly focused.
- The ruling maintains Georgia's minimum handgun carrying age in public and reflects ongoing debates about gun control after recent legislative changes and a high-profile school shooting in 2024.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Georgia Court Upholds Handgun Carry Ban For Most People Under 21
The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld a state law barring most people under 21 from carrying handguns in public, rejecting a challenge by a 20-year-old plaintiff. The court emphasized that Georgia's Constitution allows legislative control over how firearms are carried, despite protecting the right to bear arms. The post Georgia Court Upholds Handgun Carry Ban for Most People Under 21 appeared first on Concealed Nation. Continue reading Georgia Co…
Georgia Supreme Court upholds ban on those under 21 from carrying handguns in public
ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a state law Wednesday that bans most people under 21 from carrying a handgun in public. Under Georgia law, anyone ages 18 to 20 years old can possess handguns on their own property, in their car, at their business or for hunting, fishing and sport shooting. Those in the age group who have been trained by the military are exempt. Thomas Stephens, a 20-year-old man from Lumpkin County, sued Georgia a…
Georgia Recorder
Now HabershamState Supreme Court upholds law requiring Georgians to be 21 to carry handguns
The Georgia Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a state policy barring those between 18 and 21 from carrying a handgun in public. Ron Bailey/Getty ImagesThe Georgia Supreme Court upheld a state law that bars most people between the ages 18 and 21 from carrying handguns in public without military training Wednesday. The court unanimously backed a lower court in rejecting the challenge from Thomas Stephens, a 20-year-old Georgian seeking to end enfo…
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