The US Supreme Court has agreed to review a federal appeals court ruling that revived a case involving Mexico's lawsuit against gun manufacturers and distributors. The case centers around allegations that these entities facilitated the flow of firearms to drug cartels. The trial judge initially dismissed the case citing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a law that typically shields firearm manufacturers and distributors from civil liability for the criminal use of their products.
Among the 13 cases granted by the Supreme Court, other disputes include issues related to reverse discrimination, storage of spent nuclear fuel, and DNA testing for a death row inmate. The court's docket also includes cases on President Joe Biden's regulation of 'ghost guns' and vaping.
The lawsuit by Mexico accuses gunmakers of aiding and abetting the illegal sales of firearms to criminal organizations. Mexico claims that manufacturers have failed to implement changes to their products that could deter criminal use, such as making serial numbers harder to tamper with or incorporating technological safeguards against unauthorized use.
The core of the legal debate lies in the 2005 federal law that provides immunity to gun manufacturers in such cases. The 1st Circuit allowed Mexico's lawsuit to proceed under an exemption that permits liability when the harm is linked to violations of state or local laws by the gun maker or distributor.
Another case taken up by the Supreme Court involves a woman alleging discrimination based on her sexual orientation in a promotion decision. The court will also address the storage of nuclear waste and a death row inmate's request for DNA testing.
These cases highlight the diverse range of legal issues facing the Supreme Court and the potential implications of their rulings on federal agency power, discrimination claims, and criminal justice matters.
