WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 22, 2024) – Today, the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and FPC Action Foundation (FPCAF) filed an important brief with the United States Supreme Court in Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos in support of the Petition for Writ of Certiorari, which seeks a review of lower court decisions regarding Mexico’s attempts to impose its gun control preferences on Americans through frivolous lawfare.

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) was enacted to prohibit abusive lawsuits against the firearms community, prevent activist courts from imposing gun control through litigation, and preserve individuals’ access to firearms and ammunition for all lawful purposes in support of their constitutionally protected rights. PLCAA has largely been successful in preventing these abusive lawsuits for several years.

In recent years, however, radical anti-rights activists have partnered with like-minded law firms to engineer meritless legal theories to undermine the law, force firearm companies to adopt restrictive policies, or destroy the firearms ecosystem due to punitive litigation and insurance costs. In partnership with these anti-rights activists, in August 2021, Mexico filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court against several firearm manufacturers.

“Mexico’s frivolous lawsuit to impose its draconian disarmament policies is a bald attempt to wage war on peaceable Americans and our constitutionally protected rights. As our brief makes clear, the Supreme Court should enforce the law, put an end to this radical anti-rights lawfare, and protect the right to keep and bear arms,” said FPC President Brandon Combs.

“The PLCAA codifies a very basic principle of law: manufacturers cannot be held liable for the criminal misuse of their products. However, anti-rights activists and lawyers are weaponizing courts in contravention of the law. The Supreme Court should weigh in on this case to put an end to this abuse of our legal system,” explained FPCAF President Cody J. Wisniewski.

The brief was prepared and filed by attorneys David H. Thompson, Peter A. Patterson, and John D. Ohlendorf of Cooper & Kirk, PLLC.

Individuals who want to support this and other cases can join the FPC Grassroots Army at JoinFPC.org or make a tax-deductible donation to the FPC Action Foundation here.

Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org), a 501(c)4 nonprofit membership organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty, defend constitutional rights, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. For more about our work follow FPC on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube.

FPC Action Foundation (FPCActionFoundation.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty through charitable legal action, public policy, education, and research programs.