Supreme Court to Hear Smith & Wesson's Bid to Dismiss Mexico's $10 Billion Gun Trafficking Lawsuit

Oct 4, 2024, 01:58 PM

The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider a bid by US gun manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson and firearms wholesaler Interstate Arms, to dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit filed by the Mexican government. The lawsuit, which the First Circuit allowed to proceed, accuses the gun makers of facilitating the illegal trafficking of firearms to Mexican drug cartels, contributing to violence in Mexico. This case marks the first time the Supreme Court will weigh in on the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law that grants immunity to gun manufacturers in certain situations. The outcome could have significant implications for the gun industry and cross-border efforts to curb cartel-related violence.