Residents of Massachusetts can now legally possess switchblades following a ruling by the state’s Supreme Judicial Court, based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision on gun rights and the Second Amendment. The Massachusetts court referenced the Bruen decision, affirming citizens’ rights to carry firearms for self-defense in public, and concluded that switchblades do not warrant special restrictions under the Second Amendment. Justice Serge Georges Jr. stated that switchblades are not inherently more dangerous than other weapons.

The ruling leaves only a few states with laws banning switchblades in place.

The case which led to this decision involved a 2020 incident where police confiscated an orange knife with a spring-assisted blade during a domestic disturbance. The individual was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, claiming protection under the Second Amendment.

In their decision, the Supreme Judicial Court examined the historical context of knives in the U.S., focusing on whether weapon restrictions align with the nation’s tradition of arms regulation. Georges concluded that spring-loaded knives, including switchblades, fall under the category of “arms” protected by the Second Amendment.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell criticized the ruling, highlighting the dangers of switchblade knives and the legislature’s intent in prohibiting their possession. The Bruen decision has led to challenges in weapon laws across the country.

In Hawaii, Bruen was applied to overturn the state’s ban on butterfly knives. A federal judge in California also struck down a law prohibiting club-like weapons, citing an infringement on Second Amendment rights. The Massachusetts court referred to a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming the right to own guns for self-defense at home in its ruling.