Doe

*46 *333 This case involves a challenge to the California Department of Justice's (DOJ) policy that individuals who possess a federal license to collect "curio and relic" firearms cannot, by virtue of possessing that license, purchase more than one non-curio or relic handgun in a 30-day period. DOJ's position is based on an interpretation of Penal Code section 27535, 1 which both limits the number of handguns that can be purchased in a 30-day period and exempts individuals with the federal collector's license (and a certificate of eligibility from DOJ) from that limit. DOJ announced the disputed position in a 2014 letter to California firearms dealers.

DOJ's position was challenged by two licensed firearms collectors, who alleged DOJ failed to comply with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) ( Gov. Code, § 11340 et seq. ) in adopting this policy, and also sought a declaration of rights. The trial court granted defendants and respondents Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Chief of the Bureau of Firearms Stephen J. Lindley's motion for summary judgment and denied plaintiffs and appellants Alvin Doe and Paul A. Gladden's cross-motion for summary judgment on plaintiffs' complaint…