Individual gun owners and firearm‑rights organizations have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan challenging the constitutionality of the state’s firearm license‑to‑purchase and pistol registration scheme.
The suit names Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Michigan State Police Director Colonel James Grady II, and several local law‑enforcement agencies responsible for administering license‑to‑purchase applications. Plaintiffs include Michigan Gun Owners (MGO), Michigan Gun Coalition for Responsible Owners (MCRGO), Michigan Open Carry (MOC), and the National Rifle Association of America (NRA).
The complaint alleges that Michigan’s licensing and reporting requirements violate the Second and Fourteenth Amendments and cannot be justified under the historical standard laid out in the Supreme Court case New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen.
“Michigan cannot require law‑abiding citizens to obtain a discretionary government permission slip before exercising a fundamental constitutional right,” said MGO attorney James Makowski.
The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief blocking enforcement of the challenged statutes, as well as the deletion of firearm‑ownership records maintained by the state.
Case: Moser et al. v. Nessel et al.
Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Case No.: 1:26-cv-01850