SAF FILES BRIEF WITH SUPREME COURT IN RESPONSE TO COOK COUNTY’S EFFORT TO QUASH “ASSAULT WEAPONS” CASE
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Nov. 11, 2026 — The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners have filed a response brief with the Supreme Court in Viramontes v. Cook County responding to Cook County’s effort to moot the case.
In late October, the lead plaintiff in SAF’s landmark “assault weapons” ban case, Mr. Viramontes, asked to be dismissed from the case. Following that request, Cook County filed a brief with the Supreme Court suggesting the case should be mooted and dismissed. Today, SAF and its partners replied to Cook County and explained to the Court why the case should continue.
This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear SAF’s two cases – Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins – challenging bans on commonly owned rifles, including the AR-15, in both Cook County, Ill., and Connecticut. Originally filed in 2021, Viramontes challenges Cook County’s ban on many commonly owned modern firearms, which was the precursor for the nearly identical statewide ban passed by the Illinois legislature. In Grant, SAF is challenging Connecticut’s ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles – both by name and by feature set.
“There’s every reason this case can and should continue,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “We fully expect the Court to agree with our position on Viramontes, but regardless of the Court’s decision, this issue will be heard. SAF has a second case – Grant v. Higgins – that was also granted cert by the Supreme Court so no matter what the Court decides on Viramontes, we will still have the opportunity to present our case to the Justices on Dec. 2.” … 
