AG Jennings’ statement on federal permit to purchase ruling

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Friday evening after Judge Maryellen Noreika of the District of Delaware denied a gun lobby motion for a preliminary injunction against Delaware's permit to purchase law-a handgun training and licensing law supported by roughly 70% of Delawareans, including more than 60% of gun owners.

I'm grateful to our team and to our partners in Freshfields who argued this case, and to the Court for its consideration.

This is not just a win for the State-it's a win for everyone who has been impacted by gun homicide, gun suicide, or gun trafficking. Tonight in this country the leading cause of death for children and teens will be guns; permit to purchase is the gold standard for evidence-based policies to change that.

It's too soon to declare mission accomplished-but this is a good night for common sense gun safety policy.

Jennings blasted the gun lobby last week for misleading and inaccurate claims made in its filings, and for attempting to circumvent a pending motion to dismiss and a court order in a substantively identical case.

Following the denial of the plaintiffs' motion today, Delaware's permit to purchase statute will take effect as scheduled on Sunday, November 16, 2025. Information about obtaining a permit to purchase a handgun in Delaware pursuant to the statute may be found at the Delaware State Police's Permit to Purchase website.

States with a permit to purchase laws have 25% lower gun homicide rates than those without, 50% lower gun suicide rates than those without, and reduce gun trafficking by 75%. Case studies have demonstrated the impact of permit to purchase: in Connecticut, gun homicides fell by 40% and gun suicides fell by 15% after handgun permitting took effect. Conversely, in Missouri, gun homicides rose by 27% and gun suicide rose by 16% following the repeal of permit to purchase.

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