On Thursday, U.S. gun manufacturers urged the Supreme Court to hear Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit.
Eight companies, including Smith & Wesson Brands and Sturm, Ruger & Co, argued that a lower court erred in granting an exception to a U.S. law protecting them.
The trial court dismissed the case citing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. But the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found Mexico’s claims fit an exception.
The companies told the Supreme Court that the ruling contradicted past precedents. They insisted that Mexico’s suit had no place in American courts.
Without intervention, they warned of prolonged costly litigation by a foreign sovereign. Mexico’s legal adviser pledged to pursue the matter if the Supreme Court accepts it.
In its 2021 lawsuit, Mexico accused the companies of undermining its gun laws. Mexico claims over 500,000 guns trafficked annually from the U.S. contribute to gun-related deaths and economic decline.
The companies deny wrongdoing, asserting their products are lawful and regulated.
