About: State v. Buzzard

State v. Buzzard is an 1842 case determined by the Supreme Court of Arkansas in which the defendant Buzzard was charged with violating an Arkansas State law that prohibited the carrying of concealed weapons. He claimed that this law infringed upon his Constitutional right to keep and bear arms enumerated in the Second Amendment. Arkansas Trial Court struck down the state law so the state appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court. A majority held that the sole intent of the Second Amendment was for the States to have a militia to protect themselves against a national army that could infiltrate and overthrow them. In its view because of this original intent it was never meant to apply as a right granted to individuals.