A federal district court judge in Illinois has ruled that the state’s ban on licensed concealed carry aboard public transit violates the Second Amendment, marking a significant victory for gun rights advocates. The case, known as Schoenthal v. Raoul, was supported by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).
In a detailed 50-page decision, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston, appointed by former President Donald Trump, granted declaratory relief to four plaintiffs—Benjamin Schoenthal, Mark Wroblewski, Joseph Vesel, and Douglas Winston—allowing them to carry concealed firearms on Metra trains and property. Additionally, Vesel and Winston were granted relief for carrying on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and property.
Read: Four Dead In Chicago Transit Authority Train Shooting
The lawsuit, financially supported by SAF and the Firearms Policy Coalition, was argued by attorney David Sigale of Wheaton, Illinois. The defendants in the case included Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and State’s Attorneys Rick Amato (DeKalb County), Robert Berlin (DuPage County), Kimberly M. Foxx (Cook County), and Eric Rinehart (Lake County), all in their official capacities.
The judge dismissed claims against Amato and Rinehart, but the ruling applies to Raoul, Foxx, and Berlin in their official capacities concerning the plaintiffs.
“This is a significant victory for legally-armed Illinois residents who rely on public transit,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. He noted that the court strongly rejected Cook County Attorney Foxx’s argument that the ban was justified because Illinois was acting as a property owner, describing the court’s response as “breathtaking, jaw-dropping, and eye-popping.”
SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut added, “This is one more step in SAF’s mission to win firearms freedom, one lawsuit at a time. Illinois was attempting to perpetuate an indefensible policy of public disarmament, and Judge Johnston’s ruling brings that to a halt.”
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