PS....

On May 18, 2017, Jim Bailey was indicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud — non-violent felony offenses under federal law. After a lengthy and hard-fought trial, a jury found Mr. Bailey guilty.

As a collateral consequence of those convictions, Mr. Bailey lost his Second Amendment right to possess a firearm under federal law — a significant loss for a lifelong outdoorsman, avid hunter, and active member of the Sycamore Sporting Club. Mr. Bailey often spearheaded fundraising for various causes at the Sporting Club.

In the summer of 2013, our firm brought suit against the United States Attorney General arguing that it violated Mr. Bailey’s Second Amendment rights to prevent him from possessing firearms as a non-violent felon.

This case was scheduled for oral argument at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals where it was expected that the Sixth Circuit would rule in our favor, which would have been a watershed moment in Second Amendment jurisprudence—particularly for the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The United States Department of Justice requested that Mr. Bailey apply to have his Second Amendment rights restored prior to the oral argument. As a result of that process, on February 23, 2026, Mr. Bailey was one of just 22 individuals nationwide selected for restoration after losing their rights due to non-violent felony convictions. The Sixth Circuit case was dismissed as moot because Mr. Bailey’s rights were restored due to the work of our attorneys Eric Eckes, Zach Hullinger, and Tom Stachler.

Our attorneys are happy to discuss the current state of Second Amendment jurisprudence with anyone interested in the ongoing developments. There should soon be a process in place for other non-violent felons to restore their Second Amendments rights, which we will continue to monitor in hopes of helping others like Mr. Bailey who never should have been stripped of his rights in the first place.