The Sixth Circuit Rules in Favor of Couple Who Had Guns Seized in a major decision that offers hope to gun owners fighting back against government overreach. In Michigan’s Saginaw County, a couple who owned a cabin unrelated to a domestic violence incident that occurred there found themselves in an eight-year legal battle with the local sheriff’s office to reclaim their lawfully owned firearms.
Appeals Court: Gun Seizure Controversy Will Be Decided by Trial
The case—Novak, et al. v. Federspiel—stems from a 2017 domestic dispute involving relatives of the couple. During the investigation, the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Office seized 14 firearms from the cabin, even though the property owners were not involved in the altercation. When the couple requested their guns be returned, the sheriff refused, demanding they prove ownership.
That demand proved difficult, as many of the firearms were part of an older collection. Some were manufactured before 1968 and therefore lacked serial numbers, and no original receipts existed. With no other option, the couple turned to the courts to fight for the return of their property.
Their lawsuits were initially dismissed in both state and federal court, but they persisted—eventually winning a favorable decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled the case should go to trial.
The Right to Bear Arms Includes the Right to Reclaim Property
The Sixth Circuit’s opinion was clear: the Second Amendment protects not just the right to bear arms in theory, but also the right to possess one’s own firearms in practice.
In their decision, the judges wrote, “The right to keep or bear firearms would mean little if an individual lacked any presumptive right to keep or bear his own firearms.” That powerful statement emphasized that constitutional rights are meaningless if they cannot be enforced or defended when challenged.
The court also identified two key questions for a jury to answer:
- Did the plaintiffs actually own the guns?
- Did the sheriff’s decision to withhold the firearms align with the “Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation”?
With these questions, the court made it clear that the seizure and continued retention of the firearms cannot be justified without historical or legal precedent—and now a jury will decide the outcome.
A Win for Gun Owners and a Warning to Law Enforcement
This ruling sends a strong message to law enforcement agencies across the country: property cannot be held indefinitely without due process. Even in cases involving sensitive issues like domestic violence, the rights of unrelated property owners must still be respected.
For gun owners, this is a significant victory. It reaffirms that constitutional rights don’t disappear in the face of bureaucracy or vague suspicions. It also demonstrates that persistence can pay off—even after years of legal setbacks.
As the couple prepares for trial, they now have a real chance of reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. Thanks to the Sixth Circuit’s ruling, their long fight for justice will finally get its day in court.
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