Citations 477 U.S. 556 (more) | End date 1986 | |
Full case name United States Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms v. Galioto Prior history Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Majority Burger, joined by unanimous | ||
Department of Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms v. Galioto, 477 U.S. 556 (1986), was a United States Supreme Court case.
Background
Generally, convicted felons and mental patients are prohibited from purchasing firearms in the United States. A federal statute, 18 U.S.C. ยง 925 allowed some felons to appeal to the BATF to restore their rights to purchase firearms. At that time, prior mental patients did not have a similar route to restore their right to purchase firearms. The appellee argued that this was unreasonable and discriminatory.
Between the time that the Court agreed to hear Galioto, and the time that the case was heard, PL 99-308 was signed into law, allowing former mental patients to appeal to restore their rights to purchase firearms, rendering the case moot.