GIFFORDS Law Center files 300th amicus brief in the fight to stop gun violence

WASHINGTON — Today, GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, filed its 300th amicus brief since its founding in 1993. GIFFORDS Law Center began as the Legal Community Against Violence (LCAV) after eight people were murdered and six others were injured in a mass shooting at the San Francisco law firm Pettit & Martin on July 1, 1993. Shirley Mooser, Allen J. Berk, Donald “Mike” Merrill, Jack Berman, Deborah Fogel, Jody Jones Sposato, David Sutcliffe and John Scully were killed in the shooting.

GIFFORDS Law Center has filed nearly 100 amicus briefs since the NYSRPA v. Bruen Supreme Court decision that led to an unprecedented number of challenges to firearms laws across the United States.

The 300th brief was filed in response to an invitation from the Ninth Circuit to address several important doctrinal questions involving the Second Amendment. It advises the courts how to evaluate whether a weapon is dangerous and unusual and whether a weapon is in common use when making Second Amendment decisions.

“GIFFORDS Law Center is proud of the work that we’ve done over the past 32 years to stop gun violence, and to file our 300th amicus brief. This milestone reminds us of what we’ve accomplished, but the fight is far from over. Today, as this battle increasingly moves to the courtroom, we remain unwavering in our mission: defending lifesaving gun safety laws, holding the gun industry accountable, and ensuring victims of gun violence can seek justice,” said GIFFORDS Law Center Litigation Director Esther Sanchez-Gomez.