Story perspectives

Justice Department Drops Appeal of Texas NFA Ruling

8/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Justice Department will not appeal the August 5, 2024 Texas ruling that struck down NFA registration requirement.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix issued the order in Texas at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
The department said it respects Second Amendment, will process NFA forms but cannot give advice.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) urged Attorney General Todd Blanche not to appeal, while gun-safety leaders John Feinblatt and Kris Brown called the decision a step backward.

History

Historical Context

After the 1934 National Firearms Act—signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to Prohibition-era gang violence and imposing a $200 tax—ATF recorded about 1,200 registered NFA items by 1940. In 2024, Texas Judge James Wesley Hendrix ruled the registration requirement invalid, and the Justice Department chose not to appeal, reviving long-standing challenges to federal gun controls.

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Story summary

The U.S. Justice Department will not appeal the August 5, 2024 Texas ruling that struck down NFA registration requirement.
Judge James Wesley Hendrix issued the order in Texas at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
The department said it respects Second Amendment, will process NFA forms but cannot give advice.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) urged Attorney General Todd Blanche not to appeal, while gun-safety leaders John Feinblatt and Kris Brown called the decision a step backward.

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