Massachusetts' highest court ruled that switchblade knives are Second Amendment protected, overturning a 1957 ban.
Massachusetts' highest court has ruled that switchblade knives are protected under the Second Amendment, overturning a 1957 ban on carrying the weapons. The state law prohibited possession of switchblades, but the court determined that the knives are "widely owned and accepted as a legitimate means of self-defense across the country." The ruling relies on the precedent set by the US Supreme Court in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, a case that expanded gun rights and created a two-part test for evaluating restrictions on weapons. The Massachusetts court concluded that switchblades fall under the Second Amendment definitions because they are common and serve a legitimate purpose.