Federal court dismisses challenge to NJ gun law.

A Federal ‌Appeals Court‌ Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging New Jersey ​Gun Law

A federal⁤ appeals court has made a significant⁢ decision⁣ regarding a lawsuit challenging a⁤ New​ Jersey law that allows ⁢the state attorney general to sue firearms industry members⁤ over their marketing practices. The ​court announced its unanimous decision ⁢to dismiss the lawsuit brought by‍ the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a trade organization for firearms industry‌ members.

The NSSF had argued that the New Jersey law, which‌ allows the state to sue “bad ⁣actors” in⁤ the firearms industry, conflicted with a federal law⁤ called⁣ the Protection of‌ Lawful Commerce⁣ in Arms Act (PLCAA). However, ​the appeals court ruled⁤ that the NSSF had “jumped the gun” by seeking a pre-enforcement⁢ block ⁣of the New Jersey law and⁣ had not provided sufficient​ evidence ⁢of its chilling effect on firearms industry marketing practices.

The court also noted that the New Jersey law only threatens civil penalties, rather than criminal ones, making it “less ⁢chilling” in‍ nature. However, it ⁣did⁢ leave open the⁣ question of whether the threat​ of administrative penalties⁤ alone would be enough for standing.

Reactions to the Ruling

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin celebrated the ⁢appeals‍ court’s⁤ decision, stating that the ⁤law is⁣ an‍ important⁤ public safety tool. On the other hand, Lawrence Keane, the NSSF’s senior vice president and general counsel, respectfully ‍disagreed​ with the ‌ruling. He⁢ noted that while⁢ the court did not say the ⁤New Jersey law does ‌not ⁢violate the‍ PLCAA, it left open the possibility of ⁢future ⁣challenges.