In a landmark ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has struck down a federal law that banned individuals convicted of domestic violence from owning or possessing firearms. The decision was handed down on Tuesday, with the court ruling that the law violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

The law had been in place since 1996 and was intended to protect victims of domestic violence by prohibiting those convicted of domestic violence from owning or possessing firearms. However, the court found that the law was overly broad and violated the Second Amendment.

The ruling was welcomed by gun rights advocates, who argued that the law was an unconstitutional infringement on the right to bear arms. They argued that the law was overly broad and did not take into account the circumstances of the individual’s conviction.

At the same time, the decision was met with criticism from advocates of gun control, who argued that the law was necessary to protect victims of domestic violence. They argued that the law was necessary to ensure that those convicted of domestic violence could not access firearms and potentially use them to commit further acts of violence.

The ruling is likely to have significant implications for gun control laws across the country. It is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court, where it could set a precedent for how gun control laws are interpreted and enforced.