Galvan

Galvan v. Superior Court

Good Law

1969 Cal. LEXIS 372·70 Cal. 2d 851·76 Cal. Rptr. 642·452 P.2d 930

Supreme Court of CaliforniaApril 23, 1969S. F. No. 22642California6,567 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Peters, J.

This is a petition for writ of mandate by John Galvan, a resident, taxpayer and firearms owner in San Francisco, in which he attacks the constitutionality of ordinance No. 175-68, the so-called San Francisco gun law. The ordinance, enacted in July 1968, provides for the registration of all firearms within San Francisco, with certain exceptions. 1

Galvan contends that the San Francisco gun law is void because the law conflicts directly with state laws regulating firearms, and, even if construed to avoid a direct conflict, invades the field of weapons control, which has assertedly been preempted by the state. He also claims that the law violates the right to bear arms, guaranteed by the Second Amendment, the privilege against self-incrimination clause of the Fifth Amendment, and the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

We reject all of these contentions, and hold that San Francisco Ordinance No. 175-68 is a valid exercise of local police power, neither in direct conflict with nor impliedly preempted by state laws concerning weapons, and violative of no provision of the United States or California Constitutions.

Preemption—Conflict With Siate Law

Galvan argues that the…

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Parties

JOHN GALVAN
Plaintiff
THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
Defendant

Judges

Peters

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