Summary: Federal lawsuit challenging the ATF's pistol brace rule.

Plaintiffs: William Mock, Christopher Lewis, Maxim Defense Industries, LLC, and Firearms Policy Coalition

Defendants: Attorney General Pamela Bondi, United States Department of Justice, and Acting ATF Director Kash Patel

Litigation Counsel: R. Brent Cooper, Cody Wisniewski, Bradley Benbrook, and Stephen Duvernay

Docket: N.D. TX case no. 4:23-cv-00095, Fifth Circuit case nos. 23-10319, 23-11199, and 24-10743 | CourtListener Docket

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Key Events & Filings:

Circuit Court (Merits/Summary Judgment)

• 2025-7-24: Order Dismissing Appeal
• 2025-7-17: Stipulation of Dismissal
• 2025-3-3: Order
• 2025-2-13: Motion to Hold Appeal in Abeyance for 60 Days
• 2024-11-27: Reply Brief for Appellants
• 2024-11-6: Brief for Plaintiffs-Appellees
• 2024-10-7: Opening Brief for Appellants

Circuit Court (Preliminary Injunction)

• 2024-8-26: Order
• 2024-7-30: Order
• 2024-7-23: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-7-23: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-7-16: Motion to Voluntarily Dismiss Appeal
• 2024-6-25: 28(j) Letter
• 2024-5-14: (SAF v. ATF) Reply Brief of Appellants
• 2024-4-22: Combined Reply Brief for Appellees in Nos. 23-11199, 23-11203, 23-11204, and 23-40685 and Response Brief for Appellant in No. 23-11157
• 2024-3-22: Brief for Appellees the State of Texas, Gun Owners of America, Inc., Gun Owners Foundation, and Brady Brown
• 2024-3-22: Response Brief of Appellees Darren A. Britto, Gabriel A. Tauscher, Shawn M. Kroll, Texas Gun Rights, Inc., and National Association for Gun Rights, Inc.
• 2024-3-22: Brief for Appellees in Mock v. Garland, No 23-11199
• 2024-1-29: Brief of Amici Curiae Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and March For Our Lives Foundation in Support of Appellants in Nos. 23-11199, 23-11203, 23-11204, and 23-40685
• 2024-1-22: Appellants' Opening Brief
• 2023-12-22: Order Granting Motion to Consolidate
• 2023-12-20: Unopposed Motion to Consolidate

Circuit Court (Denial of Preliminary Injunction)

• 2023-8-1: Opinion
• 2023-6-29: Oral Arguments
• 2023-6-20: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Reply Brief
• 2023-6-15: Brief for Appellees
• 2023-6-5: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Opening Brief
• 2023-5-26: Order Granting Motion for Clarification
• 2023-5-25: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Reply to Their Opposed Motion for Clarification of Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-5-25: Defendants’ Response to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Clarification of Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-5-24: CASE CALENDARED for oral argument on Thursday, 06/29/2023 at 10:00 am in the En Banc Courtroom in the Wisdom Courthouse in New Orleans.
• 2023-5-23: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Opposed Motion for Clarification of Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-5-23: Unpublished Order
• 2023-5-22: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Reply Supporting Their Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-5-19: Response to Emergency Motion for an Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-5-17: Plaintiffs-Appellants’ Opposed Emergency Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal

District Court

• 2024-8-12: Notice of Appeal
• 2024-6-13: Memorandum Opinion and Order
• 2024-2-7: Defendants’ Reply in Support of Their Motion for Summary Judgment
• 2024-1-17: Plaintiffs’ Consolidated Reply Brief in Support of Their Motion for Summary Judgment and in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment
• 2023-12-18: Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment and in Support of Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment
• 2023-11-29: Notice of Appeal
• 2023-11-14: Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment
• 2023-10-2: Opinion & Order on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction
• 2023-9-8: Plaintiffs’ Supplemental Reply Brief in Support of Their Motion for Preliminary Injunction
• 2023-9-1: Defendants’ Supplemental Brief in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction
• 2023-8-18: Plaintiffs’ Supplemental Brief in Support of Their Motion for Preliminary Injunction
• 2023-6-19: Order Staying Proceedings
• 2023-6-16: Plaintiffs’ Response to Defendants’ Motion to Stay Proceedings
• 2023-6-16: Defendants’ Motion to Stay Proceedings
• 2023-4-18: Plaintiffs’ Reply in Support of Their Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-4-12: Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for an Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-3-30: Notice of Appeal
• 2023-3-30: Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal
• 2023-3-30: Opinion & Order on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction or, in the Alternative, for Postponement of the Effective Date of the Final Rule
• 2023-3-17: Plaintiffs’ Reply in Support of Their Motion for a Preliminary Injunction or, in the Alternative, for Postponement of the Effective Date of the Final Rule
• 2023-3-10: Defendants’ Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction or, in the Alternative, for Postponement of the Effective Date of the Final Rule
• 2023-2-21: Plaintiffs’ Brief in Support of Their Motion for a Preliminary Injunction or, in the Alternative, for Postponement of the Effective Date of the Final Rule
• 2023-2-7: First Amended Petition for Judicial Review and Request for Vacatur of Agency Action
• 2023-1-31: Petition for Judicial Review and Request for Vacatur of Agency Action

News Releases:

• 2025-7-17: FPC WIN: Order Vacating Biden “Pistol Brace” Rule Stands, Government Dismisses Appeal
• 2024-11-7: FPC, FPCAF File Brief in ATF Pistol Brace Rule Appeal
• 2024-6-13: FPC WIN: Biden/ATF “Pistol Brace” Ban Vacated
• 2024-3-22: FPC and FPCAF File Appellate Response Brief in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2024-1-17: FPC and FPCAF File Summary Judgment Reply Brief in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2023-11-15: FPC and FPCAF File Summary Judgment Brief in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2023-8-18: FPC and FPCAF File Supplemental Brief in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2023-8-1: Fifth Circuit Rules that ATF Pistol Brace Rule is Likely Illegal
• 2023-6-21: FPC Completes Appellate Injunction Briefing in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2023-6-5: FPC Files Opening Brief in Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rule
• 2023-5-26: Fifth Circuit Clarifies that its Injunction Against ATF Pistol Brace Rule Covers FPC’s Members
• 2023-5-23: FPC Secures Injunction Against ATF Pistol Brace Rule, Will Seek Clarification on Scope of Ruling
• 2023-1-31: FPC Files New Lawsuit Challenging ATF Pistol Brace Rulemaking