Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos
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 Elena Kagan on Jun 5, 2025. Justices Thomas and Jackson filed concurring opinions.
Apr 18, 2024Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 22, 2024)May 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Washington Legal Foundation filed.May 8, 2024Motion to extend the time to file a response from May 22, 2024 to July 3, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
May 9, 2024Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including July 3, 2024.
May 15, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Atlantic Legal Foundation filed.May 20, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Landmark Legal Foundation filed.May 21, 2024Brief amici curiae of Montana, et al. filed.May 22, 2024Brief amicus curiae of National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of National Association of Manufacturers, et al. filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of The American Constitutional Rights Union, et al. filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of National Rifle Association of America and Independence Institute filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc. and FPC Action Foundation filed.May 22, 2024Brief amicus curiae of The Buckeye Institute and Mountain States Legal Foundation's Center to Keep and Bear Arms filed.May 22, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of National Association for Gun Rights and the National Foundation for Gun Rights filed.May 22, 2024Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, and 25 Other Members of Congress filed.May 22, 2024Brief amicus curiae of The Second Amendment Foundation filed.Jul 3, 2024Brief of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos in opposition filed.Jul 17, 2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/30/2024.
Jul 17, 2024Reply of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 8, 2024Letter of petitioner Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. received. (Distributed)Aug 15, 2024Letter of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos received. (Distributed)Oct 4, 2024Petition GRANTED.
Oct 16, 2024Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al.Oct 28, 2024Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.Nov 4, 2024Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioners GRANTED.
Nov 4, 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.
Nov 22, 2024SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Nov 26, 2024Brief of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed.Nov 27, 2024Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Nov 27, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Washington Legal Foundation filed.Nov 27, 2024Brief amicus curiae of G. Antaeus B. Edelsohn in support on neither party filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of The Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition, Inc., et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of The National Association for Gun Rights, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Landmark Legal Foundation filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of The Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Atlantic Legal Foundation filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of The Second Amendment Foundation filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of The American Constitutional Rights Union, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of The Buckeye Institute, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of Product Liability Advisory Council, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of National Rifle Association of America, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amicus curiae of U.S. House of Representatives filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of State of Montana, et al. filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of Professors of Tort Law, Statutory Interpretation, and Firearms Regulation in support of neither party filed.Dec 3, 2024Brief amici curiae of Gun Owners of America, Inc., et al. filed.Jan 10, 2025Brief of respondent Estados Unidos Mexicanos filed. (Distributed)Jan 13, 2025CIRCULATED
Jan 17, 2025Record received electronically from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and available with the Clerk.
Jan 17, 2025Record received from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Mexican Activists, Scholars, and Victims filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, et al. filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Fair and Just Prosecution filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Social Science, Medical, and Legal Scholars filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Gun Violence Prevention Groups filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of March For Our Lives Action Fund filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, et al. filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Law Enforcement Officers filed. (Distributed)Jan 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts, et al. filed. (Distributed)Feb 10, 2025Reply of petitioners Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)Mar 4, 2025Argued. For petitioners: Noel J. Francisco, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Catherine E. Stetson, Washington, D. C.
Jun 5, 2025Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Thomas, J., and Jackson, J., filed concurring opinions.
Jul 7, 2025Judgment Issued.Recommended Citation: Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/smith-wesson-brands-inc-v-estados-unidos-mexicanos/