Link to the actual opinion:
https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/21a0070p-06.pdf
Question Presented:
- "The question before us is whether a bump stock may be properly classified as a machine gun as defined by 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b).1 But this case rests as much on who determines the statute’s meaning as it does on what the statute means."
Holding:
- "Consistent with our precedent and mandated by separation-of-powers and fair-notice concerns, we hold that an administering agency’s interpretation of a criminal statute is not entitled to Chevron deference. Consequently, the district court erred by finding that the ATF’s Final Rule, which interpreted the meaning of a machine gun as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b), was entitled to Chevron deference. And because we find that “single function of the trigger” refers to the mechanical process of the trigger, we further hold that a bump stock cannot be classified as a machine gun because a bump stock does not enable a semiautomatic firearm to fire more than one shot each time the trigger is pulled. Accordingly, we find that Plaintiffs/Appellants are likely to prevail on the merits and that that their motion for an injunction should have been granted. Therefore, we REVERSE the judgment of the district court and REMAND for proceedings consistent with this opinion."
My lizard brain comments:
- GOA did a great job with their brief really focusing on the simple yet powerful point that deference, much less Chevron deference, should not be applied in this case due to the statute in question involves a criminal penalty.
- Still, I would argue that this decision is inconsistent with other 6th Circuit decisions where they decided Chevron deference is appropriate when interpreting statutes with dual criminal and civil penalties.
- Personally, I would still classify this as a weasel opinion in that the Court did not go as far as to say the strict scrutiny is the appropriate standard of review since the statute being interpreted involved a right enumerated in the bill of rights.