Supreme Court Leaves Maine's 72-Hour Gun Waiting Period in Place

The U.S. Supreme Court turned away an appeal seeking to overturn Maine's 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases, The Maine Wire reported on October 24, 2026. The decision keeps the statute in force while litigation over its constitutionality goes on.

Gun rights groups had asked the justices to review a ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which concluded the measure was likely constitutional and lifted a district court injunction that had paused enforcement.

Lawmakers approved the waiting period in 2024 after the Lewiston mass shooting, in which 18 people were killed and 13 were injured. The Maine Wire reported that the requirement would not have stopped gunman Robert Card II from buying the semi-automatic rifle used in the attack. Court filings describe the delay as a cooling-off measure intended to reduce suicides and homicides tied to impulsive purchases.

The law took effect in August 2024 and was challenged soon after by a firearm buyer, a firearms training company and three dealers, who argued it infringed Second Amendment rights. The state countered that the measure postpones rather than prohibits ownership.

The appeals panel sided with the state in a 24-page opinion, describing the requirement as a "modest" burden similar to the delay allowed for federal background checks.

This story was first reported by The Maine Wire.