A federal district judge announced on Thursday that he would temporarily suspend a newly implemented three-day waiting period for gun purchases in Maine. This decision came after considering a lawsuit initiated by advocates for gun rights who opposed the regulation.

The law, which commenced in August, was one of several gun control measures enforced by the Democratic-led legislature in the wake of a tragic shooting in Lewiston in October 2023, where an Army reservist took the lives of 18 individuals, marking the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s history. Following the introduction of the waiting period law, gun rights supporters quickly filed a challenge, requesting that its enforcement be halted while legal proceedings continue.

Advocates representing gun rights argue that the waiting period infringes on their 2nd Amendment privileges. In his ruling, Judge Lance Walker noted that the legislation fails to provide any criteria justifying the restriction on individuals’ ability to purchase firearms. He expressed that the plaintiffs have a substantial chance of prevailing in their case.

The lawsuit was brought forth by a collective of individuals who assert that mandating a 72-hour wait for someone who has successfully completed a background check before acquiring a firearm is unlawful. Meanwhile, the attorney general of Maine has expressed his commitment to uphold the law, arguing that waiting periods have been validated in various states across the country.

Approximately twelve other states enforce regulations similar to Maine’s. Proponents of the gun control measure within Maine have heralded it as a mechanism designed to offer a reflective pause for individuals contemplating harmful actions against themselves or others through the use of a firearm.