Virginia Judge Rules State Cannot Resume Private Sale Background Checks

A Virginia judge has delivered a significant victory for gun owners, ruling that the state’s universal background check law remains blocked despite efforts by Attorney General Jay Jones and Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration to restart enforcement. Lynchburg Circuit Court Judge Patrick Yeatts on Wednesday refused to dissolve a statewide injunction that has prevented Virginia from conducting background checks on private firearm sales since October 2025. The ruling came after state officials attempted to resume enforcement of the law following passage of new legislation earlier this year. The decision forced Virginia State Police to once again halt private sale background checks after briefly resuming them last week. Within hours of the ruling, the agency updated its website to confirm it was “in compliance with the injunction” and could no longer provide criminal history checks for private firearm transfers. Judge Says Injunction Still Stands At the center of the dispute is a