n a significant ruling on Friday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Maryland’s handgun licensing law, dismissing arguments that it infringed upon Second Amendment rights by making gun acquisition overly burdensome.

The majority of the court affirmed a lower court’s decision in favor of Maryland, with ten judges supporting the law’s constitutionality. The court ruled that the state’s handgun qualification statute, which mandates a license before purchasing a handgun, aligns with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.

Senior Judge Barbara Milano Keenan authored the majority opinion, with Judge Allison Jones Rushing writing a concurring opinion stating that the handgun license requirement is consistent with historical principles of firearm regulation.

However, the decision was not unanimous. Judge Julius Richardson, in his dissent, argued that Maryland had not adequately shown that history and tradition justified the licensing requirement.

The court’s full bench reviewed the case following a split decision last year, where a three-judge panel deemed the requirements unconstitutional in light of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that expanded gun rights.

The lawsuit, initially filed in 2016 by gun-rights advocates, challenged Maryland’s law, which was enacted in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy. The law requires prospective gun owners to complete safety training, submit fingerprints, pass a background check, be at least 21 years old, and reside in the state.

Supporters of the law view it as a necessary measure to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands, while opponents argue it imposes undue burdens on law-abiding citizens.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown hailed the decision as a victory for common-sense gun safety, emphasizing the importance of stringent checks to ensure firearms do not end up in the hands of those who should not have them.