Georgia Judge Strikes Down Savannah Gun Ordinance as Unconstitutional

In a major blow to anti-gun local lawmakers, a Georgia judge has struck down Savannah’s controversial gun ordinance, ruling it "unenforceable" and unconstitutional under both state law and the Second Amendment.

Chatham County Recorder’s Court Judge Brian Joseph Huffman Jr. issued the ruling Wednesday while tossing the case against Clayton Papp, a man cited last year for violating the city’s ban on leaving firearms in unlocked vehicles. Papp’s defense argued that the ordinance blatantly violated Georgia law and the judge agreed.

“Good intentions… do not immunize legislation from constitutional scrutiny,” Huffman wrote.

The decision stems from a 2023 Savannah City Council ordinance that made it illegal to leave guns in unlocked cars, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and 30 days in jail. City leaders, led by Democrat Mayor Van Johnson, claimed the measure would reduce gun thefts and promote “responsible gun ownership.”

But the judge was clear: local governments in Georgia have no authority to regulate firearms. State law preempts city and county rules that interfere with “the possession, ownership, transport, (or) carrying” of firearms, and Savannah’s ordinance crossed the line.

Even more importantly, Huffman ruled the measure burdens conduct “covered by the plain text of the Second Amendment.”

• Savannah claimed the ordinance helped cut gun thefts from cars in half from over 200 in 2023 to just over 100 in 2024.

• Critics argued the law criminalized law-abiding gun owners, rather than punishing the actual criminals who steal firearms.

• Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr celebrated the ruling as a “major victory” for constitutional rights and gun owners across the state.

“Law-abiding gun owners shouldn’t be punished for the actions of criminals and thieves,” Carr said.

While the ruling technically applies only to Papp’s case, it sends a clear message to any Georgia city looking to chip away at Second Amendment protections through local backdoors.

However, Mayor Johnson insisted the city would continue to enforce the ordinance, brushing off the ruling as case-specific and citing reductions in theft as justification. That defiance sets up potential future legal challenges and possibly a broader constitutional showdown if the city continues pushing unlawful policies.

Legal experts say unless someone files a formal lawsuit with standing to halt enforcement citywide, Savannah can keep issuing citations and defendants will have to fight each one individually.

This isn’t the first time liberal city governments have tried to sneak past state firearm laws under the banner of “safety.” But the courts have now sent a warning: local virtue signaling won’t override state law or the Constitution.

Gun owners across Georgia and the nation should take note: Your rights don’t end where the Left’s fearmongering begins.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more stories defending the Second Amendment from local overreach.