
This case was filed in Ramsey County District Court on February 12, 2025.
VICTORY — This Case Is Over. We Won.
- Judge Castro ruled on August 18, 2025, that the passage of the 2024 Omnibus Bill, including the binary trigger ban, violated the single-subject clause of the MN Constitution. The ban was severed, struck down, and permanently enjoined.
- The State appealed. On May 26, 2026, the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s ruling in full. The binary trigger ban is unconstitutional.
- The State did not seek review by the Minnesota Supreme Court, and the deadline to do so has passed.
- The decision is final. The binary trigger ban is permanently struck down. Binary triggers are legal in Minnesota.
The Court of Appeals Affirmed — The Decision Is Final
The State of Minnesota appealed the district court decision on September 15, 2025. We cross-appealed, seeking to strike down the entire omnibus bill.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals heard the appeals on March 25, 2026, and issued its decision on May 26, 2026. The court affirmed the district court: the binary trigger ban was unconstitutionally enacted and remains struck down. The court declined our cross-appeal request to invalidate the entire omnibus bill, citing Minnesota Supreme Court precedent favoring severance.
The State did not petition the Minnesota Supreme Court for review. The deadline to appeal has passed, and the decision is final. Binary triggers are, and will remain, legal in Minnesota under this ruling.
Last Updated: July 30, 2026
Case Summary
In this case, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, in support of three harmed and anonymous individuals, is suing the State of Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, and BCA Superintendent Drew Evans over the unconstitutional passage of the Omnibus Tax Bill at the end of the 2024 legislative session, which included a ban on binary triggers.
Case Details
Case Title
Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus v Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, Mary Moriarty, and Drew Evans
Ramsey County Court Case #
62-CV-25-1083
Assigned Judge at District Court
Judge Leonardo Castro
Minnesota Court of Appeals Case #
A25-1507
News Coverage
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- May 14, 2025: MPR News – Minnesota court scrutinizes gun law tucked into 2024 tax bill
- August 18, 2025: Caucus Press Release – Court Strikes Down Binary Trigger Ban in Landmark Legal Victory for Minnesota Gun Owners
- August 18, 2025: Upper Midwest Law Center Press Release – Minnesota District Court Strikes Down Gun Provision, Issues Strong Ruling on Omnibus Bill
- August 18, 2025: Minnesota Reformer – Judge strikes down Minnesota’s binary trigger ban, suggests invalidating 2024 omnibus bill
- August 18, 2025: KSTP 5 – Ramsey County judge strikes down Minnesota’s binary trigger ban
- August 18, 2025: MPR News: Ramsey County judge’s decision blocks enforcement of binary trigger ban
- August 18, 2025: Star Tribune – Judge strikes down Minnesota trigger ban, warns spending bills have grown too sprawling
- August 18, 2025: WCCO CBS TV – Ramsey County judge strikes down ban on binary triggers for firearms
- March 25, 2026: MPR News – Minn. Court of Appeals weighs challenge to megabills at the Capitol with gun law at stake
- May 26, 2026: KSTP 5 – Minnesota appeals court upholds ruling that struck down binary trigger ban
- May 26, 2026: MPR News – Minnesota’s appeals court won’t reinstate law that banned gun trigger mechanism
- May 26, 2026: MinnPost – Omnibus bill stands but MN court invalidates binary trigger ban
- May 26, 2026: Daily Caller – Minnesota Court Tosses Out Trigger Ban Tim Walz, Democrats Snuck Into Bill
- May 27, 2026: CCRKBA – MN Appeals Court Correctly Struck 2024 ‘Binary Trigger’ Ban
- May 28, 2026: AmmoLand – Minnesota Binary Trigger Ban Struck Down as Gun Control Bill Dies
Case Filings
Ramsey County District Court
- February 12, 2025
- April 15, 2025
- MN Gun Owners Caucus: Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment
- MN Gun Owners Caucus: Affidavit of Bryan Strawser, Chair
- MN Gun Owners Caucus: Affidavit of James F. Dickey, Attorney
- Mary Moriarty: Defendant Mary Moriarty’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss
- State of Minnesota: State Defendants’ Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss
- April 29, 2025
- State of Minnesota: State Defendants’ Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment
- State of Minnesota: Declaration of Anna Veit-Carter in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment.
- MN Gun Owners Caucus: Plaintiff’s Memorandum in Opposition to Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss
- Mary Moriarty: Defendant Mary Moriarty’s Response Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Summary Judgment
- May 2, 2025
- May 6, 2025
- May 13, 2025
- Initial Hearing held on the above motions – Judge Castro took the hearing under advisement and will issue a decision.
- Order of the Court re: In-Camera Review of Affidavits
- May 21, 2025
- May 23, 2025
- Hearing: Associational Standing Affidavits
- Amended Order of the Court re: In-Camera Review of Affidavits & Membership
- June 4, 2025
- June 18, 2025
- June 25, 2025
- June 26, 2025
- August 18, 2025
- September 15, 2025
- State’s Notice of Appeal
- State’s Motion & Memorandum of Law: In this motion, the State attempts to have the injunction stayed in order to make binary triggers illegal again pending the appeal.
- September 18, 2025
- October 9, 2025
- MN Gun Owners Caucus: Memorandum of Law. Here, we oppose the state’s order to stay the injunction pending appeal in order to keep binary triggers legal while the appeals process plays out.
- October 16, 2025
- State’s Reply Brief: In this brief, the State of Minnesota argues again that the injunction against the binary trigger ban should be stayed pending appeal.
- November 6, 2025
- Order of the Court: Denying the State’s Motion for a Stay Pending Appeal. With this order, the court denies the State’s motion. Binary Triggers remain legal pending the appeals.
Minnesota Court of Appeals
- September 15, 2025
- September 26, 2025
- October 29, 2025
- November 17, 2025
- November 24, 2025
- December 17, 2025
- January 20, 2026
- February 3, 2026
- March 25, 2026
- May 26, 2026
Counsel of Record
In this case, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is represented by Nicholas Nelson, Doug Seaton, Alexandra Howell, and Austin Lysy of the Upper Midwest Law Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the decision take effect?
The decision was effective immediately.
Did this decision impact FRTs or Super Safeties?
No, FRTs and Super Safeties were prohibited due to legislation passed during the 2023 session. They were not part of this lawsuit, which focused on the Minnesota Constitution’s single-subject clause and the 2024 “jumbo omnibus bill”.
We are considering legal action on Second Amendment grounds regarding this ban; however, there are other precedents we would like to see in place before pursuing such litigation.
See our page on Forced Reset Triggers for more information.
Want to support our legal & litigation efforts?
Our affiliated 501(c)(3), the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center, underwrites the majority of our legal action efforts.
You can make a tax-deductible donation directly at this link.
