sentences:  Because of the controversial nature of the case, it garnered much attention from many groups on both sides of the gun rights issue.Many of those groups filed "amicus curiae" (friend of the court) briefs, about 47 urging the court to affirm the case and about 20 to remand it.A majority of the members of Congress signed the brief authored by Stephen Halbrook advising that the case be affirmed overturning the ban on handguns not otherwise restricted by Congress.