Wisconsin Court: Foster Parents Can’t Be Forced Into Extra Gun Rules

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Aug. 7, 2026 that a Wisconsin appellate court ruled July 31 for Germantown foster parents Brian and Kate Lafferty, who sued after renewal rules demanded firearm inventories and storage stricter than ordinary homes. Counsel John Monroe says the prior regime required foster parents to store firearms unloaded, lock firearms and ammo separately from kids’ access, and give state and county the makes and models of every gun — conditions the couple argued violate the Second Amendment.

Defendants included Jeff Pertl at the Department of Children and Families and Washington County HHS director Julie Driscoll. The suit dates to a 2020 complaint. After the ruling, DCF told the Journal Sentinel it is still reviewing impacts; defense counsel called the opinion long and not unanimous. Monroe’s framing is blunt: put foster homes on the same footing as other parents — and keep foster kids safer from unlawful attacks by restoring the home’s right to a ready defensive firearm.

This is a state-court 2A storage/registry fight with national echo. If counties can’t condition foster licensure on gun inventories, other blue-county child-welfare rules that dual-track gun owners are next.