Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Mexico

Smith & Wesson v. Mexico
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued March 4, 2025
Full case name	Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc., Beretta U.S.A. Corp, Glock, Inc., Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Witmer Public Safety Group, Inc., d/b/a Interstate Arms, Century International Arms, Inc., and Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Docket no.	23-1141
Argument	Oral argument
Case history
Prior	Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, Mexico v. Smith & Wesson
Questions presented
1. Whether production/sale of firearms in the US is the "proximate cause" of alleged injuries to the Mexican government from violence committed by Mexican drug cartels. 2. Whether the production/sale of firearms in the United States amounts to "aiding and abetting" illegal arms trafficking because firearms companies allegedly know that some of their products are unlawfully trafficked.
Court membership
Chief Justice John Roberts Associate Justices Clarence Thomas  · Samuel Alito Sonia Sotomayor  · Elena Kagan Neil Gorsuch  · Brett Kavanaugh Amy Coney Barrett  · Ketanji Brown Jackson

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos is an undecided United States Supreme Court case in which the Court will determine the liability of firearm manufacturers in selling weapons internationally under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. ^[1]

Lower court history

In 2021, Mexico sued seven firearms manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson, Beretta, and Colt's Manufacturing Company, alleging that the companies have exacerbated the Mexican drug war. The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts dismissed the case, but the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit sided with the Mexican government on appeal. ^[1]

Supreme Court

On October 4, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari to review the First Circuit's decision. ^[1] On March 4, 2025, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments with the justices largely agreeing with Noel Francisco's advocacy against holding firearms manufacturers liability for the violence committed by their customers in drug cartels. ^[2]

References

1. "Supreme Court takes new cases, including Mexican suit against U.S. gunmakers". The Washington Post .
2. Totenberg, Nina (4 March 2025). "At the Supreme Court, justices are skeptical of Mexico's arguments against gunmakers". NPR . Retrieved 2025-03-05.