California Judge Dismisses Multiple Lawsuits
Against Firearms Manufacturers, Distributors

NEWTOWN, Conn. - California Superior Court Judge Vincent P. DiFiglia, hearing lawsuits filed by twelve California municipalities against the firearms industry, today granted a summary judgment for the industry, dealing a crushing defeat to those seeking to blame makers and sellers of legally produced and non-defective products for the behavior of criminals.

“This is a definitive victory for us in a string of vindications that began a year ago when the City of Boston dropped its suit against the industry for lack of proof of wrongdoing,” noted Lawrence G. Keane, vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. (NSSF), the firearms industry’s major trade association and a defendant in the case. “Once again, this victory supports the long-held principle that responsible and law-abiding manufacturers of highly regulated, non-defective firearms can not be held accountable when criminals misuse their legally sold products.”

“There was much excitement in recent weeks about unsupported allegations of industry wrongdoing from Mr. Robert Ricker, a former executive with a now-defunct trade association,” added Keane. “Mr. Ricker’s lame assertions can now be seen for what they were.”

NSSF President Doug Painter noted, “Even before the City of Boston's lawsuit against the industry was dropped at the city's request, courts have been tossing out these unwarranted suits against our industry. A year ago, after seeing the same documents and hearing from the same witnesses presented in California, Boston acknowledged firearms industry members ‘are genuinely concerned with and are committed to, the safe, legal and responsible sale and use of their products.’ Just as the industry offered to work with those seeking to further reduce firearms accidents and decrease criminal violence committed with firearms in Boston, our industry stands ready to work with these cities in California.”

“The best path forward is to abandon this obviously faulty lawsuit strategy and work cooperatively to promote safety programs and communication, rather than pursuing a discredited theory for litigation that wastes the taxpayers’ money,” Keane added. “Unfortunately, this is not the last of these cases remaining and the money wasted in this futile and unjust process points to the need for Congressional action to stop such wasteful lawsuits. A bill introduced recently, Protection in Lawful Commerce in Arms, (HR 1036), promises to do just that and already has 244 co-sponsors in the House. It’s time to pass such legislation in both the House and Senate.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has for more than 40 years been the trade association for the makers and sellers of firearms, ammunition and associated products, and a foremost promoter of the safe and responsible enjoyment of such products as well as the safe storage of firearms and ammunition. Learn more about NSSF and firearm safety at www.nssf.org.