The U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear a challenge to a New York law that allows lawsuits against gun manufacturers, wholesalers, and dealers. The court’s decision comes after lower courts upheld the statute, which permits legal claims for “harms resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse” of firearms or ammunition sold by covered companies.
According to reporting from multiple outlets, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) sought Supreme Court review of the ruling. The appeal also involved companies including Smith & Wesson and Ruger, among others tied to the firearms industry. The lawsuit centers on whether the New York law is permissible under federal and constitutional limits, but the Supreme Court’s refusal to take the case leaves the lower-court decision in place.
As a result, the New York law continues to allow plaintiffs to pursue claims tied to misuse of firearms and ammunition that results in harm. The Supreme Court’s action does not decide the merits of the legal arguments, but it effectively ends this avenue of review for the challengers.
