United States Second Circuit

In an action involving the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which provides that any "qualified civil liability action that is pending on October 26, 2005, shall be immediately dismissed by the court in which the action was brought or is currently pending", the circuit court finds that: 1) a claim by the city of New York, predicated on New York Penal Law section 240.45, did not fall within an exception to the claim restricting provisions of the Act; and 2) the PLCAA was a valid exercise of Congressional power under the Commerce Clause, and the PLCAA did not violate the separation of powers doctrine or otherwise offend the Constitution in any manner alleged by the city.

Appellate Information

• Decided 04/30/2008
• Published 04/30/2008

Judges

• Before:  MINER, CABRANES, and KATZMANN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Second Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Elliot M. Schachner, for Benton J. Campbell, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, (Varuni Nelson, Assistant United States Attorney, of counsel), Brooklyn, NY, for Intervenor, the United States of America., Beth S. Brinkman, Seth M. Galanter (Brian R. Matsui, on the brief), Morrison & Foerster LLP, Washington, DC, for Amici Curiae Legal Community Against Violence, Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, and The Violence Policy Center., Stephen D. Poss, P.C., Kevin P. Martin, Randall B. Clark, Nicholas D. Gray, Christina E. Nolan, Michael P. Sugrue, Michael C. Winfield, Goodwin Proctor LLP, Boston, MA, for Amicus Curiae NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund., Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General of the State of New York (Caitlin J. Halligan, Solicitor General, Daniel Smirlock, Deputy Solicitor General, Jennifer Grace Miller, Assistant Solicitor General, of counsel), Albany, NY, for Amicus Curiae New York State Attorney General.


• For Appellees:
  
• Michael L. Rice, Thomas E. Fennell, Jones Day, Dallas, TX, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC., Lawrence S. Greenwald, Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill, Catherine A. Bledsoe, Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander, LLC, Baltimore, MD, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Beretta U.S.A. Corp., Clem C. Trischler, Robert R. Leight, Pietragallo, Bosick & Gordon, Pittsburgh, PA, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Smith & Wesson Corp., Joanne M. McLaren, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Smith & Wesson Corp., James P. Dorr, James B. Vogts, Aimee B. Anderson, Sarah L. Olson, Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, Chicago, IL, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., John F. Renzulli, Christopher Renzulli, Scott C. Allan, Renzulli Law Firm, LLP, New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellants-Cross-Appellees Glock, Inc. and Browning Arms Co., Timothy A. Bumann, J. Clayton Cheshire, Budd Larner, P.C., Atlanta, GA, Kathleen Marchetti, Budd Larner, P.C., Short Hills, NJ, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc. and Forjas Taurus, S.A., Christopher M. Chiafullo, Whitney R. Chelnik, The Chiafullo Group, LLP, Watchung, NJ, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees AcuSport Corporation;  Alamo Leather Goods, Inc.;   Bill Hicks and Company, Inc.;   Brazas Sporting Arms, Inc.;   Camfour, Inc.;   Chattanooga Shooting Supplies, Inc.;   Davidson's Supply Company, Inc.;   Dixie Shooters Supply, Inc.;   Ellett Brothers, Inc.;   Euclid Avenue Sales Co.;   Faber Brothers, Inc.;   Glen Zanders Fur and Sporting Goods Co.;   Hicks, Inc.;   Kiesler Police Supply, Inc.;   Lew Horton Distributing Company, Inc.;   Lipsey's, Inc.;   MKS Supply, Inc.;   Riley's, Inc.;   Ron Shirk's Shooters Supply, Inc.;   RSR Group, Inc.;   Southern Ohio Gun, Inc.;   Sports South, Inc.;   Valor Corporation;  Walter Craig, Inc.;   and Williams Shooters Supply., Scott L. Braum, Timothy Rudd, Scott L. Braum & Assoc., Ltd., Dayton, OH, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees MKS Supply, Inc.;   Euclid Avenue Sales Co., and Walter Craig, Inc., Richard J. Leamy, Jr., Wiedner & McAuliffe, Ltd., Chicago, IL, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees Faber Brothers, Inc. and Riley's Inc., William M. Griffin, Jonann Coniglio Chiles, Karen S. Halbert, Jamie Huffman Jones, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, Little Rock, AR, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Browning Arms Co., Robert L. Joyce, Wilson, Esler, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York, NY, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees Sigarms, Inc. and Sig Sauer GmbH., John J. McCarthy, III, The McCarthy Law Firm, PLLC, New York, NY, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Tanfoglio Fratellis S.R.L., Michael I. Branisa, Michael J. Zomcik, Branisa & Zomcik, P.C., Houston, TX, for Defendant-Appellant-Cross-Appellee Phoenix Arms., Andrew Zajac, Fiedelman & McGaw, Jericho, NY, for Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees AcuSport Corporation;  Alamo Leather Goods, Inc.;   Bill Hicks and Company, Inc.;   Brazas Sporting Arms, Inc.;   Camfour, Inc.;   Chattanooga Shooting Supplies, Inc.;   Davidson's Supply Company, Inc.;   Dixie Shooters Supply, Inc.;   Ellett Brothers, Inc.;   Euclid Avenue Sales Co.;   Faber Brothers, Inc.;   Glen Zanders Fur and Sporting Goods Co.;   Hicks, Inc.;   Kiesler Police Supply, Inc.;   Lew Horton Distributing Company, Inc.;   Lipsey's, Inc.;   MKS Supply, Inc.;   Riley's, Inc.;   Ron Shirk's Shooters Supply, Inc.;   RSR Group, Inc.;   Southern Ohio Gun, Inc.;   Sports South, Inc.;   Valor Corporation;  Walter Craig, Inc.;   and Williams Shooters Supply., Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York (Leonard Koerner, Grace Goodman, Eric Proshansky, June Buch, Gail Rubin, Richard J. Costa, Melanie C.T. Ash, of counsel), New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, the City of New York., Michael S. Elkin, Thomas P. Lane, Thelen, Reid & Priest LLP, New York, NY, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, the City of New York., Dennis A. Henigan, Jonathan E. Lowy, Brian J. Siebel, Elizabeth S. Haile, Daniel Vice, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, the City of New York., Robert S. Peck, Center for Constitutional Litigation, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, the City of New York., Paul R.Q. Wolfson, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, the City of New York.