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Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Dale Norman v. State Case Brief

District Court of Appeal of Florida2015Docket #2634853
159 So. 3d 205 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 2178 2015 WL 669582

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: The court upheld Florida’s statutory ban on openly carrying firearms, finding it constitutional under the Second Amendment because the state provides a licensing scheme for concealed carry, thus regulating only the manner of bearing arms.

Legal Significance: This case affirms a state’s power to regulate the manner of bearing arms by prohibiting open carry, provided a reasonable alternative (like licensed concealed carry) exists, applying intermediate scrutiny to such Second Amendment challenges.

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Dale Norman was arrested and convicted for openly carrying a firearm in violation of section 790.053, Florida Statutes (2012), despite possessing a valid Florida concealed weapons permit. Video evidence showed Norman’s firearm was completely exposed in its holster. Norman challenged the statute’s constitutionality, arguing it infringed his Second Amendment right to bear arms for self-defense by prohibiting open carry, even for licensed individuals. The trial court denied his motions to dismiss but certified three questions of great public importance to the appellate court, primarily concerning the constitutionality of Florida’s open carry prohibition. Norman contended that the Second Amendment protects the right to openly carry a firearm outside the home for self-defense. The State of Florida argued its statutory scheme, which prohibits open carry but allows for concealed carry through a ‘shall-issue’ licensing system, is a permissible regulation of the manner of bearing arms under both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. The core issue revolved around whether Florida’s approach unconstitutionally burdened the Second Amendment right.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does Florida’s statutory scheme, which generally prohibits the open carrying of firearms while permitting licensed concealed carry, unconstitutionally infringe upon the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms?

Yes, Florida’s statutory scheme prohibiting open carry while allowing licensed concealed carry Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna al

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Legal Issue

Does Florida’s statutory scheme, which generally prohibits the open carrying of firearms while permitting licensed concealed carry, unconstitutionally infringe upon the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms?

Conclusion

The case establishes that states may constitutionally prohibit open carry of firearms Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut

Legal Rule

A two-step analysis applies to Second Amendment challenges: first, determine if the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi u

Legal Analysis

The court first established that the Second Amendment right to bear arms Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna

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