Hawaii Butterfly Knife Ban Violates Second Amendment, Court Says

Prospective knife owners convinced the Ninth Circuit to overturn a decision that upheld Hawaii’s butterfly knife ban as in compliance with their right to keep and bear arms.

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday reversed summary judgment favoring state officials, and instructed the lower court to continue proceedings in compliance with its determination that butterfly knifes are protected by the Second Amendment.

A butterfly knife, whose blade is encased in a split handle that manually unfolds, is commonly owned for law-abiding purposes, Judge Carlos T. Bea said.

“Aside from these conclusory legislative statements, Hawaii has ...