AG Jones celebrated the Lynchburg Circuit Court’s ruling that, effective July 1, to dissolve the injunction blocking background checks on the private sale of firearms in Wilson v. Hanley, delivering a major victory for gun violence prevention efforts and the public safety of our Commonwealth. This decision follows years of litigation involving Virginia’s life-saving background check law, which requires background checks on all private firearm sales.

“For too long, communities across the Commonwealth have lived in fear and been tormented by grief and loss as the result of preventable gun violence. This is especially true for Black and Brown communities who experience gun violence at a disproportionate rate. Background checks keep guns out of dangerous hands and save lives. My predecessor’s refusal to defend Virginia’s life-saving law was shameful and it put the safety of our communities at risk. The Court’s decision today rights that wrong and puts the Commonwealth back on a path of protecting Virginians and stemming the tide of gun violence in our communities.” -AG Jones