This publication explores the legal framework that governs ownership, possession and use of firearms, and the role of the courts. The New York State Bar Association's Task Force on Gun Violence has sought to bring clarity to the legal issues that underlie the policy debates surrounding gun regulation as well as clarity to the debate itself. The three parts include a survey of the current law; a brief history of the Second Amendment; and a conclusion supporting non-partisan, scientific research, to enable informed decision making by lawmakers and others.