GIFFORDS Law Center and Everytown Law unveil gun industry accountability litigation tracker

NEW YORK – GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and Everytown Law have unveiled a first-of-its-kind online tracker documenting more than ten years of lawsuits filed against gun-industry defendants. This new resource pulls back the curtain on the nationwide legal battle to hold bad actors in the firearms industry liable for their role in the gun violence crisis, giving survivors and litigators a critical roadmap to navigate legal protections that Congress gave the gun industry and to demand justice in court.

For decades, the firearms industry has attempted to hide behind the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). GIFFORDS, Everytown and other gun violence prevention advocates hold the gun industry accountable through grassroot campaigns, legislative advocacy, and public education, and this tracker shines a vital spotlight on how they are also forcing gun industry bad actors to answer for their misconduct in the courts.

“For too long, the gun industry has tried to get away with reckless, dangerous behavior that enables criminals and costs lives. This isn’t just a record of the past — it’s a foundation for what comes next. Every lawsuit tracked here is a data point that strengthens the case for change,” said Adam Skaggs, Vice President and Chief Counsel of GIFFORDS Law Center. “When we all work together, we can hold these companies accountable and save lives.”

“Holding bad actors in the gun industry accountable requires a sustained, strategic effort, and this tracker is a vital tool for measuring our collective progress,” said Eric Tirschwell, Executive Director of Everytown Law. “By bringing over a decade of litigation into one centralized resource, we are building a transparent foundation for future accountability. Mapping out these cases equips survivors and attorneys with the data they need to keep pushing forward, ensuring this fight remains transparent, measurable, and relentless.”

The database follows lawsuits nationwide in which at least one defendant is a firearms industry actor – defined as an individual or entity engaged in the manufacture, sale, distribution, or marketing of firearms or firearm-related accessories. By tracking cases dating back to 2015, the database serves as an essential resource for survivors, private practitioners, litigators, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and gun violence prevention organizations looking to understand the scope of litigation seeking to hold gun industry members accountable for unlawful and reckless misconduct. The tracker will be periodically updated to reflect new filings and significant developments in ongoing litigation.

To further assist private attorneys and advocates navigating the unique hurdles of firearms litigation, readers are also directed to Everytown Law’s flagship legal manual, Firearms Litigation: A Practitioner’s Guide to PLCAA and Beyond. The Guide provides a legal overview of successful strategies and techniques for holding bad actors accountable for their actions, despite the broad – but not unlimited – legal protections provided by PLCAA.

Of the over 20 gun industry accountability cases Everytown Law has filed since late 2019, many have already led to favorable outcomes. In total, Everytown Law is currently working as counsel of record in numerous pending lawsuits against bad actors in the gun industry – including cases against the biggest manufacturers (Glock), Smith & Wesson (on behalf of survivors of the 2022 Highland Park 4th of July mass shooting), Sturm Ruger (on behalf of survivors of the 2021 King Soopers, Colorado, mass shooting), and Daniel Defense (on behalf of the survivors of the 2022 Uvalde mass school shooting), gun retailers in the Chicago, Louisville, and Minneapolis areas, and multiple distributors of so-called ghost gun kits (on behalf of these communities and survivors throughout these cities).

GIFFORDS Law Center has also filed numerous cases to hold the gun industry accountable. GIFFORDS Law Center represented the city of Philadelphia against some of the largest ghost gun manufacturers, which was settled favorably for the city, and led to the nation’s largest ghost gun company, Polymer 80, shutting down. In California, GIFFORDS Law Center secured a settlement against multiple ghost gun companies for illegally selling gun kits in the state. Additionally, GIFFORDS Law Center represented families and a survivor of the Buffalo mass shooting to hold the gun store and gun lock company accountable. The case was also settled favorably for the families. Currently, GIFFORDS Law Center is the counsel of record in cases seeking to hold Glock accountable for its deceptive marketing practices in Minnesota and Philadelphia.  

While the tracker includes a wide range of historic and ongoing cases, it is intended as an educational and research tool and should not be relied upon in litigation or as an exhaustive list of every gun industry accountability lawsuit nationwide.