Supreme Court Explorer
District of Columbia v. Heller
554 U.S. 570
Holding / constitutional rule
Held that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm for lawful purposes such as self-defense in the home.
Why it matters
A foundational modern Second Amendment decision that rejected an exclusively militia-based reading of the right.
Connected Research
Government research source
Constitution Annotated / CRS search →
The holding and significance above are concise editorial summaries, not quotations from the opinion. Follow the government source to review constitutional analysis and underlying case authorities.