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Appeals court rules federal switchblade law unconstitutional

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, all right-leaning.

4 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Close-up of a silver switchblade knife lying on a wet, dark surface.
Image via The Epoch TimesHow images are chosenReport this image

The Washington Times, Reason, RedState and The Epoch Times report that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on October 22 that the Federal Switchblade Act is unconstitutional. According to the outlets, a three-judge panel found that switchblades are protected arms under the Second Amendment and that the law did not comport with U.S. history and tradition. The case, Knife Rights, Inc. v. Blanche, was brought by the advocacy group Knife Rights, two businesses and five individuals, and began in the Northern District of Texas in September 2024. The district court had dismissed the case, and the Fifth Circuit reversed that dismissal. Knife Rights chairman Doug Ritter said the decision will ripple through the legal community.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. The Fifth Circuit ruled on October 22 that the Federal Switchblade Act is unconstitutional.

    One side only: the rightReported byRight2Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Right
    The Washington Times, Reason
    Far Right
    RedState, The Epoch Times

  2. A three-judge panel of Jennifer Walker Elrod, Don Willett and Cory Wilson found that switchblades are protected arms under the Second Amendment.

    One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right

  3. The panel found the law did not comport with U.S. history and tradition, the standard set by the 2022 Bruen decision.

    One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right

  4. The case, Knife Rights, Inc. v. Blanche, was dismissed by the Northern District of Texas before the Fifth Circuit reversed that dismissal.

    One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right

  5. The plaintiffs are Knife Rights, Inc., two businesses and five individuals, who argued the law violates their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

    One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right

  6. Knife Rights chairman Doug Ritter said the decision will ripple through the legal community.

    One outletThe Epoch Times· Far Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All four outlets report that the Fifth Circuit ruled the Federal Switchblade Act unconstitutional on October 22, finding switchblades protected under the Second Amendment. This side's coverage presents the ruling as a Second Amendment holding, with the Far Right opinion piece celebrating it as a win.

  • the left

    No coverage yet

    No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    3 outlets · 1 opinion

    Headlines state the ruling as a Second Amendment holding, and the Far Right opinion piece presents it as a Second Amendment win for gun rights.

    Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules Switchblades Are Arms Under 2nd Amendment
    The Epoch TimesFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left

    Has not covered this story.

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right1

    Big Second Amendment Win

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    Big Second Amendment WinMore neutral: Second Amendment ruling

    Calling the ruling a “big win” describes it as a victory for one side rather than reporting the court’s decision.

    5th Circuit Delivers Big Second Amendment Win

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

3 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Second Amendment protection of knives as arms
  • Bruen standard and history and tradition
  • Ruling as a gun rights win
See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules Switchblades Are Arms Under 2nd Amendment

    Judges ruled the Federal Switchblade Act fails to meet the standards set by the 2022 Bruen decision.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • ReasonRight

    Switchblade Ban Violates Second Amendment, Fifth Circuit Holds

    From Knife Rights, Inc. v. Blanche, decided yesterday by Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, joined by Judges Don Willett…

    Read at Reason (opens in a new tab)
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Appeals court rules Federal Switchblade Act unconstitutional

    A federal ban on manufacturing switchblades for sale or transport across state lines is unconstitutional, an appeals court ruled Wednesday, saying the knives are self-defense "arms" covered by the Second Amendment and thus entitled to protection.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar RightOpinion

    Who Says You Can't Bring a Knife to a Gunfight? 5th Circuit Delivers Sensational language“Big Second Amendment Win”Calling the ruling a “big win” describes it as a victory for one side rather than reporting the court’s decision.More neutral: Second Amendment rulingDisagree with this highlight?

    First body armor, now knives; the Second Amendment wins are really coming in this week. In the latest, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a federal law restricting the interstate manufacture, transportation, and distribution of switchblade knives is in violation of …

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    The Washington Times, Oct 21, 10:02 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Washington TimesRightOct 21, 10:02 PM EDT
  2. ReasonRightOct 22, 8:33 AM EDT
  3. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 22, 7:41 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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