“That is huge,” said Andrea Parker, whose husband, Eric, was photographed pointing a rifle at officers and others during the confrontation. The image became a symbol of the standoff. “The government did everything they could to stack and get guilty charges,” she continued. “I might actually get to hug my husband for the first time in 18 months.”

The decision is only one chapter in the best-known land use case in the contemporary West. For years, officials had ordered Mr. Bundy to remove his cattle from a publicly owned desert expanse near Bunkerville, Nev., northeast of Las Vegas. When he did not, the authorities moved in to do it themselves, but allies of Mr. Bundy traveled from around the country to stop them.

Many people came with pistols and rifles, some came on horseback flying American flags. When the government backed down on April 12, 2014, a segment of rural Westerners long angered by restrictions on federal land — as well as perceived abuses by federal law enforcement officials — hailed it as a victory.

The court decision on Tuesday sets the stage for Mr. Bundy’s trial, which will take place in the coming weeks. He has been jailed since early 2016, along with four of his sons: Ryan, Ammon, Mel and Dave. (Ryan and Ammon will be tried with Mr. Bundy; Mel and Dave will be tried at a later date.)

Mr. Parker, Mr. Drexler, Mr. Lovelien and Mr. Stewart were charged with conspiracy, extortion, assault, threats, obstruction of justice and weapons counts. They sat for a first trial in February, but the jury deadlocked, requiring a do over.