Top 8 Legal Wins of 2025
1️⃣ GOA Forces DOJ to End Zero-Tolerance Rule
GOA’s legal action forced the DOJ to end the Biden-era “Zero Tolerance” policy that unfairly targeted honest gun dealers over simple paperwork mistakes. This win protects gun dealers nationwide—ensuring more choice, more access, and a stronger firearms marketplace for Americans.
2️⃣ Skip NICS
GOA’s lawsuit forces ATF to restore “Brady Alternative” status for carry-permit holders in states like Michigan and Alabama. This allows law-abiding citizens to bypass NICS background checks when purchasing firearms – a huge win for freedom against registration-style checks.
3️⃣ Coast-to-Coast Carry Secured
GOA won major lawsuits in both New York AND California against non-resident concealed carry permit denials. Together, these victories make it possible for GOA members to legally carry concealed firearms from coast to coast.
4️⃣ GOA Secures Constitutional Carry Victory
GOA launched a successful legal challenge against the “going armed” statute in Tennessee – and won. That ruling effectively turned Tennessee into a Constitutional-Carry state. Sadly, the Republican Attorney General is now appealing our victory, so the new carry protections will be on hold until next year.
>> CELEBRATE THESE WINS
5️⃣ VA Universal Background Check Law Struck Down
Partnering with the VCDL, GOA secured a court order striking down Virginia’s Universal Background Check (UBC) law after a five-year battle. Virginia gun owners can once again buy and sell firearms privately, free from government interference.
6️⃣ Florida Open Carry Ban Overturned
Following a legal challenge from GOA, Florida has agreed that open carry is protected under the Second Amendment and confirmed it will no longer enforce its ban. This is a huge, long-overdue victory for gun owners in the Sunshine State.
7️⃣ Memphis, TN Red Flag Law “Dead as a Doornail”
GOA shut down a sweeping gun-control push by the city of Memphis, Tennessee, forcing the city to admit its carry ban and Red Flag scheme were all illegal. The judge didn’t mince words, declaring the ordinance “dead as a doornail.”
8️⃣ GOA Forces MO County to Reverse Gun Ban
GOA sued Jackson County, Missouri, for undermining state preemption with a ban on 18-to-20-year-olds’ handgun purchases. The Missouri AG (Andrew Bailey at the time) joined GOA, forcing the county to “back down and amend its ordinance” to remove the unconstitutional provisions.
>> KEEP THE WINS COMING
