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Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
23-1141 1st Cir. Mar 4, 2025 Jun 5, 2025 9-0 Kagan OT 2024

Holding: Because Mexico’s complaint does not plausibly allege that the defendant gun manufacturers aided and abetted gun dealers’ unlawful sales of firearms to Mexican traffickers, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act bars the lawsuit.

Judgment: Reversed, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on June 5, 2025. Justices Thomas and Jackson filed concurring opinions.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
04/18/2024Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 22, 2024)
05/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of Washington Legal Foundation filed.
05/08/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response from May 22, 2024 to July 3, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
05/09/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including July 3, 2024.
05/15/2024Brief amicus curiae of Atlantic Legal Foundation filed.
05/20/2024Brief amicus curiae of Landmark Legal Foundation filed.
05/21/2024Brief amici curiae of Montana, et al. filed.
05/22/2024Brief amicus curiae of National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of National Association of Manufacturers, et al. filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of The American Constitutional Rights Union, et al. filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of National Rifle Association of America and Independence Institute filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc. and FPC Action Foundation filed.
05/22/2024Brief amicus curiae of The Buckeye Institute and Mountain States Legal Foundation's Center to Keep and Bear Arms filed.
05/22/2024Brief amicus curiae of Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of National Association for Gun Rights and the National Foundation for Gun Rights filed.
05/22/2024Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, and 25 Other Members of Congress filed.
05/22/2024Brief amicus curiae of The Second Amendment Foundation filed.
07/03/2024Brief of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos in opposition filed.
07/17/2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/30/2024.
07/17/2024Reply of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)
08/08/2024Letter of petitioner Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. received. (Distributed)
08/15/2024Letter of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos received. (Distributed)
10/04/2024Petition GRANTED.
10/16/2024Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al.
10/28/2024Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
11/04/2024Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners GRANTED.
11/04/2024Motion to extend the time to file petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including November 26, 2024. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 10, 2025.
11/22/2024SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
11/26/2024Brief of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed.
11/27/2024Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
11/27/2024Brief amicus curiae of Washington Legal Foundation filed.
11/27/2024Brief amicus curiae of G. Antaeus B. Edelsohn in support on neither party filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of The Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition, Inc., et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of The National Association for Gun Rights, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of Landmark Legal Foundation filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of The Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of Atlantic Legal Foundation filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of The Second Amendment Foundation filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of The American Constitutional Rights Union, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of The Buckeye Institute, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of Product Liability Advisory Council, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of National Rifle Association of America, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amicus curiae of U.S. House of Representatives filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of State of Montana, et al. filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of Professors of Tort Law, Statutory Interpretation, and Firearms Regulation in support of neither party filed.
12/03/2024Brief amici curiae of Gun Owners of America, Inc., et al. filed.
01/10/2025Brief of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos filed. (Distributed)
01/13/2025CIRCULATED
01/17/2025Record received electronically from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and available with the Clerk.
01/17/2025Record received from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Mexican Activists, Scholars, and Victims filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, et al. filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amicus curiae of Fair and Just Prosecution filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Social Science, Medical, and Legal Scholars filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Gun Violence Prevention Groups filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amicus curiae of March For Our Lives Action Fund filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, et al. filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Law Enforcement Officers filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2025Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts, et al. filed. (Distributed)
02/10/2025Reply of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)
03/04/2025Argued. For petitioners: Noel J. Francisco, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Catherine E. Stetson, Washington, D. C.
06/05/2025Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Thomas, J., and Jackson, J., filed concurring opinions.