NRA-ILA commends the decision of the Missouri Court of Appeals to dismiss the City of St. Louis`s reckless lawsuit against the firearm industry. The opinion upholds a lower court`s ruling that the City of St. Louis`s claims are without merit-- firearm manufacturers and dealers are not liable for the criminal misuse of guns.
"This sound decision is a victory for gun owners and all who believe society must hold criminals accountable for their crimes," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "These baseless lawsuits have done nothing but squander taxpayers` money.
"There has never been any merit to these lawsuits--in fact, the majority have been dismissed,"Cox added. "Unfortunately, big-city mayors and money-hungry lawyers have played into the hands of gun-banners, who designed these suits to crush the American firearm industry under a weight of legal fees."
More than 30 states, including Missouri, have adopted common-sense laws to prevent cities and municipalities from filing further suits against the lawful firearm industry. The Court of Appeals found Missouri`s preemption law was a proper response to keep the courts from regulating from the bench.
"Lawsuits designed for the sole purpose of bankrupting a respectable industry have no place in our judicial system. NRA applauds this sensible ruling and will continue working with lawmakers to pass additional laws protecting firearm manufacturers from reckless lawsuits," concluded Cox.
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