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

Oct 4, 2024, 03:00 PM

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge by U.S. gun manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson and firearms wholesaler Interstate Arms, aiming to dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit filed by the Mexican government. Mexico accuses the gun companies of facilitating the illegal trafficking of firearms to Mexican drug cartels, contributing to widespread violence. The First Circuit Court had allowed Mexico's lawsuit to proceed, and the Supreme Court will now review that decision. The case will examine whether the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a 2005 federal law providing gunmakers with immunity from lawsuits over crimes committed with their products, applies in this international context.