Things went from bad to worse for Democrats on Thursday afternoon after a judge in Virginia issued a preliminary injunction on the "assault firearms" and high-capacity magazine ban that was set to go into effect in the Commonwealth on July 1. The judge from Lancaster County, located in the Northern Neck of Virginia, ruled that the Virginia State Police (VSP) cannot enforce the bans through December 31, 2026 or until a final order is issued.
The lawsuit was brought against the superintendent of the VSP by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) and Gun Owners of America (GOA), who took well-deserved victory laps on social media.
VCDL/GOA lawsuit victory! The judge in Lancaster County has issued a temporary injunction against enforcement of both the “assault firearm“ ban and carry prohibition. I’m not sure about the magazine ban yet, but I should know soon and will advise. For now the enjoinment applies…
— Philip Van Cleave VCDL (@VCDL_ORG) June 25, 2026
VCDL/GOA lawsuit victory! The judge in Lancaster County has issued a temporary injunction against enforcement of both the “assault firearm“ ban and carry prohibition. I’m not sure about the magazine ban yet, but I should know soon and will advise. For now the enjoinment applies to the Virginia State Police statewide. We expect an appeal by the Commonwealth. More coming as things evolve.
🚨BREAKING🚨
— Gun Owners Foundation (@GunFoundation) June 25, 2026
GOF, @GunOwners, & @VCDL_ORG secured a Preliminary Injunction in our lawsuit against Virginia’s so-called Assault Weapons Ban.
This prevents state police from enforcing this tyrannical law while our case goes through the court system. https://t.co/sEggZfI1E5
Cam Edwards from Bearing Arms noted on X that this injunction applies only to the VSP and warned Virginians that some local law enforcement officials may still plan to act on the bans. As RedState previously reported, a growing number of sheriffs and commonwealth's attorneys have publicly stated they would let the 2nd Amendment be their guide and not enforce the weapons and magazine bans.
SEE ALSO: In Wolford Decision Supreme Court Tosses Hawaii's Sweeping Concealed-Carry Restrictions
Spanberger Gets Smacked Down Again As Gun-Control Gambit Blows Up in Court
But, wait. There's more.
A separate lawsuit against the gun and magazine bans is making its way through Washington County, Virginia.
Info on the OTHER hearing challenging Virginia's gun and magazine ban in circuit court today. https://t.co/lsceyacqrs
— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) June 25, 2026
Here's Cam over at Bearing Arms:
A second hearing in an NRA-affiliated lawsuit is taking place in Washington County, Virginia as well, though so far there's been no word on the outcome. The Lancaster County judge made his ruling from the bench, and we don't have the full details about his rationale for granting the injunction, but based on the criteria for doing so he apparently believes the plaintiffs in the case will suffer irreparable harm if the law is allowed to take effect, and that he believes their are likely to win their case when its fully tried and adjudicated.
It's been a very bad day, indeed, for the gun-grabbing Democrat Party, which was still reeling from Thursday morning's Supreme Court Wolford ruling – which overturned Hawaii's law barring licensed concealed-carry holders from bringing firearms onto private property – when news of the Virginia injunction dropped.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones wasn't best pleased, and issued the following statement: “This ruling is disappointing and puts our communities at risk. The Commonwealth will urgently file a motion to stay this ruling and appeal this temporary injunction. We will continue to vigorously defend Virginia’s assault weapons ban and magazine capacity restrictions and uphold the laws designed to keep Virginians safe.”
The biggest loser here is Governor Abigail Spanberger, the "moderate" candidate who has governed like your worst HR supervisor nightmare. She continuously finds herself on the losing end of judicial decisions, including the one on gerrymandering, and all of this will seriously hamper her presidential ambitions. She's fast becoming a political pariah in her own party, one legal defeat at a time.
Editor’s Note: The radical Left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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