News | Renzulli Law Firm

RLF PROVES FIREARMS DEALER DID IT RIGHT – CASE AND APPEAL DISMISSED

On March 25, 2020 the Superior Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit by a customer against a Pennsylvania firearms retailer for slander and allegedly failing to adequately supervise and control its employees during an altercation with a customer. A customer who had lawfully purchased a semi-automatic pistol from the firearms retailer returned two-weeks later and re...

Renzulli Law Firm Successfully Opposes Second Department Appeal in Oil Spill Case

On March 11, 2020, the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, Second Department denied an appeal filed by a New York State Municipality against a private Land Developer. The appeal was successfully opposed by Renzulli Law Firm. The case arises from two fuel oil spills that occurred in 2008. The Municipality sold a large plot of land to the Land Developer in 1...

March 23, 2020 To combat the spread of COVID-19, multiple states enacted broad restrictions requiring most businesses to close and ordering Americans to stay at home. To date, the states that enacted these restrictive orders include California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Delaware. Reuters estimates that approximately one in three Americans...

ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT: COOK COUNTY FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION TAXES ARE CONSTITUTIONAL

March 20, 2020 An Illinois appellate court upheld an ordinance that imposes a firearms and ammunition tax. The court found that while the tax increases the cost of firearms and ammunition, it does not infringe on the ownership of firearms. Citing the landmark Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller, the court held that the taxes are at most a “marginal, incremental or even appreciab...

Privacy on the internet has been a concern for years and the adoption of laws related to data privacy has been a question of “when,” not “if.” The answer to that question is “now.” The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) was enacted in 2018 and creates new consumer rights relating to the access to, deletion and sharing of personal information that is collected by businesses.&nbs...

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN MARYLAND TO REGULATE THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY

Legislators in Maryland have recently introduced three house bills designed to regulate various aspects of the firearms industry. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know:House Bill 1257 is a proposed amendment to the Firearms Dealers’ Safety Act in Maryland. The Act requires licensed dealers to keep records of all firearms acquisitions and dispositions. House Bill 1257 would impos...

The Tiahrt Amendment, Public Law 112-55, 125 Stat. 609-610, generally prohibits the ATF from disclosing trace data, and records required to be maintained or reported by federal firearms licensees pursuant to the Gun Control Act, such as acquisition and disposition records, Form 4473s, and multiple sale reports. Exceptions are made for disclosure to law enforcement agencies for use in crimin...

LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO REPEAL THE PLCAA AND TIAHRT AMENDMENT

Although all previous attempts have failed, Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives have once again introduced legislation to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”) and aspects of the Tiahrt Amendment. Introduced on June 11, 2019, the “Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act” comprises just two pages and, if...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Enacts “Ghost Gun” Ban

This month, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a broad ban on so-called “Ghost Guns” (which we have covered previously). In a press release he stated: “Ghost guns can be created by anyone with a computer and access to a 3D printer, giving the public at large the ability to build their own unregistered, unsafe, and untraceable firearm. Now, thanks to the Legislative sponsors who w...

On January 1, 2018, key legislative amendments went into effect that substantially revised and updated child-related firearm warning requirements in California. Prior to January 1, California law required the following child-related warning, in both English and Spanish, to be placed on the packaging of any firearm, and any descriptive materials that accompany any firearm, sold or transferred in Ca...

California Law Prohibiting Firearms Retailers from On-Site Advertising of Handguns Violates First Amendment

In what can only be regarded as a win for firearm retailers in the state of California, Judge Troy L. Nunley, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California, issued a decision on September 11, 2018, in which he concluded a California statute prohibiting firearm retailers from on-site advertising of handguns violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. T...

FIREARMS ON DEMAND? A FEDERAL JUDGE HITS THE PAUSE BUTTON ON 3D PRINTED FIREARMS

This week, a federal judge granted an emergency temporary restraining order (“TRO”) preventing Defense Distributed, a Second Amendment advocacy group, from distributing files on the Internet that could be used to create firearms on a 3D printer. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know: Defense Distributed, led by Cody Wilson, has been in a multi-year fight with the federa...

Significant changes to California’s Proposition 65 warning regulations will go into effect in two months, on August 30. Enacted in 1986, California’s Proposition 65 (commonly called “Prop 65”) requires businesses to provide a warning regarding products that contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Prop 65, especially in recent ...

Throughout the months leading up to the implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -- the EU’s radical overhaul of data privacy rules and regulations -- we predicted that the states would begin enacting tougher, more stringent data privacy laws. (We even predicted that California would take the lead.) Yesterday, California enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act of 201...

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states can compel online retailers to collect sales tax. The case, South Dakota v. Wayfair (No. 17-494), overturns two previous Supreme Court decisions and represents a landmark shift in law and policy that will tremendously impact online shopping. Here is the Renzulli Run Down of what you need to know: The Supreme Court’s Opinion was 5 to 4, with Justic...

NRA CALLS OUT GOVERNOR CUOMO AND OTHER NEW YORK POLITICIANS

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is taking on New York Governor Cuomo and other high-ranking government officials in New York. In a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, the NRA accuses Cuomo and other officials of pressuring private companies, both publicly and behind closed doors, to dissolve their relationships with or otherwise distance t...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Governor Signs Stringent “Gun Control” Measures Into Law

As expected, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed six stringent “gun control” bills into law. We brought these measures to your attention in our “Renzulli Run Down” earlier this week. Here is what you need to know about the new laws: Bill No. A-1181 mandates the seizure of firearms owned by individuals if a mental health professional determines they pose a threat to themselves or othe...

Renzulli Run Down: New Jersey Expected To Enact Stringent New Firearm Laws

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is expected to sign six new “gun control” laws this week, which Governor Murphy touts are “sweeping gun safety legislation” that will be some of the “toughest gun laws” in the nation. Here is the “Renzulli Run Down” of what you need to know: Bill No. A1181 mandates the seizure of firearms owned by individuals if a mental health professional determines they p...

A common misconception is that the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies only to businesses physically located in the EU. As you know from our previous article (“The Final Countdown To The GDPR Is Here. Are You Ready?”), the GDPR – which becomes officially effective one month from today on May 25, 2018 – is a radical overhaul of the EU’s regulatory scheme, and one of its most sign...

The European Union’s most comprehensive data privacy overhaul in decades, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), becomes effective on May 25, 2018 – just over one month away. With the deadline fast approaching, it has been widely reported that businesses around the world are not prepared or are significantly underprepared for the GDPR. This poses a serious problem because the GDPR is a r...

SIG SAUER EMPLOYEES INDICTED FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE GERMAN FOREIGN TRADE ACT

Five employees of Sig Sauer GmbH have been indicted by the public prosecutor in Kiel, Germany and charged with violating the German Foreign Trade Act. The indictment stems from allegations that Sig Sauer GmbH illegally exported approximately 36,000 pistols to the Colombian National Police during the period from 2009 to 2012. During that time, Colombia was involved in a civil war with the Revolut...

FLORIDA MUNICIPALITIES SUE OVER STATE FIREARM LAW

Ten Florida municipalities and their elected officials filed a lawsuit in Florida on Monday challenging a Florida state law that imposes penalties on municipalities and their officials when they are found to knowingly and willfully impinge on the State Legislature’s exclusive jurisdiction over firearm and ammunition regulation. The plaintiffs assert that in light of the recent mass shootings, ...

APPELLATE DIVISION REJECTS CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO NEW YORK’S REQUIREMENTS REGARDING CONCEALED CARRY LICENSES

In an unfortunately predictable decision given New York's aggressive gun-control measures, New York’s Appellate Division, First Department, rejected constitutional challenges to New York’s legal requirements for obtaining a license to carry a concealed firearm. Jonathan Corbett brought several constitutional challenges relating to the licensing requirements in New York. His initial claim was filed...

Congress Set to Consider “Extreme Risk Protection Orders”

Senate Bill 2521, a bill to authorize the issuance of extreme risk protection orders, has gained another Republican co-sponsor, Senator Collins (R-ME), as of March 23, 2018. The bill, originally introduced on March 8, 2018 by Senators Blumenthal (D-CT) and Graham (R-SC), is similar in scope and effect to the Florida ‘red flag’ bill which we have previously discussed in our newsletter. Here is the ...

DOJ Inches Closer To Federal Bump Stock Ban

DOJ has finally released a notice of proposed rulemaking (“Notice”) that would effectively ban “bump stocks,” “slide-fire” devices, “and devices with certain similar characteristics.” As originally announced, DOJ intends to clarify that all bump stock devices are “machineguns” under the Gun Control Act (“GCA”) and National Firearms Act (“NFA”). The Notice contends in large part that the “single fu...

NRA FILES LAWSUIT TO ENJOIN FLORIDA’S VIOLATION OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF YOUNG ADULTS

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 7026 into law on Friday. Among other things, SB 7026 raised the minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun from 18 to 21, effective immediately. The new provision is Fla. Stat. § 790.065(13), which provides that: “A person younger than 21 years of age may not purchase a firearm. The sale or transfer of a firearm to a person younger than 21 years of age may not b...

U.S. DOJ Takes Step Toward Bump Stock Ban

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a notice of proposed regulation relating to “bump stock” devices. The DOJ has identified the following objectives and goals in filing the notice: Clarify that the definition of “machinegun” in the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA) includes bump stock type devices; and ...

BREAKING NEWS: FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT SIGNS GUN CONTROL MEASURE (SB 7026)

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 7026 into law today. As discussed in our previous post, SB 7026 changes Florida law relevant to the sale of firearms in the following manner: The minimum age to purchase rifles and shotguns in Florida has been increased from 18 to 21. There will be a three-day waiting period on the purchase of any firearm, with exceptions for law enforcement officer...

THE RENZULLI “RUN DOWN” – FLORIDA LEGISLATURE PASSES GUN CONTROL MEASURE; NEW BILLS ARE INTRODUCED IN OTHER STATES

Florida Gun Control: The Florida legislature passed SB 7026 a $400 million gun control measure, which will now proceed to Florida’s Governor, Rick Scott. Here is what you need to know about the measure: The minimum age to purchase rifles and shotguns would be raised from 18 to 21. A three day waiting period would be imposed on the purchase of any firearm, with exceptions for l...

STATE LEGISLATORS CONTINUE TO PUSH KNEE-JERK FIREARM CONTROL BILLS; WHILE LIKELY TO FAIL, OUR INDUSTRY MUST BE ALERT

Two more state legislatures, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, will be weighing new proposed firearm control measures, proving that the uptick in knee-jerk, rushed legislation following the Parkland tragedy continues. The Illinois bill has passed the state House of Representatives. The bill makes it illegal for persons under the age of 21 to possess or purchase high-capac...

NY, NJ, CT, AND RI FORM COALITION; AGREE TO SHARE FIREARMS DATA

The Governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have announced their formation of a new “States for Gun Safety” coalition. Through the Coalition, the four states plan to openly share information of persons prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to their respective state laws using a centralized database. In addition, they intend to share details with each other about h...

NEW “ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN” INTRODUCED TARGETING SPECIFIC FIREARMS, DEVICES, AND MANUFACTURERS

Two Democratic Representatives, David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), have introduced a sweeping bill called the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2018.” The bill, if passed in its current version, would make it illegal to “import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon,” and would ban devices such as bump stocks an...

UPDATE: Concealed Carry Bill Gets House Approval; “Fix NICS” Full Steam Aheard

H.R. 38, entitled the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017” (CCRA) has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. As we have previously reported, the bill allows any person who is carrying a valid government-issued identification document and is either: (1) also carrying a valid license or permit issued by any state that permits carrying a concealed firearm; or (2) is entitled to carry...

What You Need To Know About The Fix NICS Act Of 2017

The “Fix NICS Act of 2017,” Senate Bill 2135 and House Bill 4434, which was introduced this month with bi-partisan support, is supported by both the NRA and the NSSF. The Fix NICS Act of 2017 is an important piece of legislation for the Industry. It will improve the records available to NICS and therefore the accuracy of background checks to determine if a prospective purchaser is prohibited from...

RLF Partner Christopher Renzulli appeared before the Connecticut Supreme Court on November 14 in the Sandy Hook case, Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, et al. The highly-anticipated and widely-covered oral argument represented the culmination of months of briefing on an appeal by the plaintiffs of Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis’ decision granting a motion by the defendants to stri...

Several bills have been introduced that, if passed, would substantially alter the regulation of suppressors. In particular, House Bill H.R. 367 and Senate Bill S. 59 (referred to as the Hearing Protection Act of 2017), which were introduced in January, would remove suppressors from regulation under the National Firearms Act (“NFA”). Here is what you need to know about H.R. 367 and S. 59: If...

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP represented Glock, Inc. in a case brought against one of its former distributors and its president and sole shareholder in federal court in Georgia. The case primarily involved claims that the defendants had violated the Georgia Civil RICO Act by purchasing discounted Glock pistols that were restricted to resale to the law enforcement market, and then reselling them to the c...

Over the past several weeks, a series of incidents and reports have surfaced indicating that not only can Sig Sauer, Inc.’s (Sig Sauer) P320 pistol fire when dropped, but that Sig Sauer may have been aware of the defect for a substantial period of time prior to these recent incidents and reports. For example, in early August, the Dallas Police Department suspended use of P320 pistols due to drop f...

The California Office of Administrative Law recently approved proposed regulations submitted by the California Department of Justice that expand the definition and registration requirements for "assault weapons" under California law. In 2016, the California Legislature altered the definition of “assault weapon” for pistols and rifles to eliminate the “bullet button” exception to California’s “assa...

As reported in the New York Daily News, Renzulli Law Firm, led by its Founder John Renzulli, secured a $3.85 million settlement on behalf of its client, Jesus Santiago, who had been severely injured when a tree fell on him in Brooklyn. The tree fell on Mr. Santiago as he was on his way home from work inflicting Mr. Santiago with more than two dozen fractures and crushing his internal organs. The ...

Steyr Arms Files New Patent Infringement Action Against Sig Sauer, Inc.

Steyr Arms, Inc. (“Steyr”) has filed a patent infringement action against Sig Sauer, Inc. (“Sig”) alleging that several of Sig’s pistol models – including the P250 and P320 – infringe one of its patents. In the lawsuit, which was filed in May in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Steyr alleges that Sig’s pistols infringe Patent No. 6,260,301 (“the ‘301 Patent”) entitled...

In a significant ruling this week, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a portion of the Lanham Act that permitted the U.S. Government to bar the registration of “offensive” trademarks. The provision, often referred to as the “disparagement clause” of the Lanham Act, prohibited the registration of trademarks “which may disparage … persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols,...

The State of New Jersey filed a lawsuit against Sig Sauer, Inc. (“Sig”) in New Jersey Superior Court in Mercer County on April 27, 2017. The complaint, a copy of which can be read here, alleges that the New Jersey State Police (“NJSP”) selected the Sig P229 as its duty weapon in 2014. The complaint alleges that when first used during a firearms qualification session in September 2014, the P229 ha...

On April 24 2017, the Indiana Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in favor of Renzulli Law Firm, LLP’s clients KS&E Sports and Edward J. Ellis in a case that had been brought against them by Dwayne H. Runnels. KS&E Sports had sold a handgun to Tarus Blackburn, who was alleged to have straw purchased it on behalf of a convicted felon, Demetrious Martin. Two months after Blackburn so...

On March 1, 2017, Senator John Cornyn introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (“CCCRA”). The following is a link to the text of the CCCRA: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/446/text. The CCRA is similar to the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (“CCRA”), which Representative Richard Hudson introduced on January 3, 2017. The following is ...

Renzulli Law Firm led two lively and informative seminars this year at SHOT Show 2017, one called “Ask a Firearms Attorney” and one on “Intellectual Property”. During our “Ask a Firearms Attorney” seminar we highlighted a range of hot topics facing the Industry, including political issues, legislative trends, prominent Industry litigation and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA)....

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP, on behalf of a Pennsylvania indoor shooting range, recently prevailed on a motion to compel the production of information that a personal injury plaintiff posted privately on Facebook. Plaintiff’s lawsuit alleges that he suffered hearing loss from gunshot noise he was exposed to while discharging firearms in defendant’s shooting range. We successfully argued that informatio...

RLF recently obtained summary judgment in a personal injury case on the basis that the plaintiff did not sustain “serious injury” as defined by Insurance Law § 5102(d). In granting the motion for summary judgment and dismissing the case, the Supreme Court of Nassau County held that defendants established their burden by proving plaintiff’s miscarriage was not causally related to the accident, and...

Seventh Circuit Invalidates Chicago Regulation Effectively Prohibiting Firing Ranges

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Ezell v. City of Chicago, Nos. 14-3312 & 14-3322, recently invalidated three Chicago regulations that drastically limited where firing ranges could be located within city limits and who could enter those ranges. The location-related regulations limited the operation of firing ranges to manufacturing districts in Chicago and prohibit...

Suicide Prevention Resources for Shooting Ranges and Retailers

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (“NSSF”) and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (“AFSP”) recently announced at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas a partnership to educate the public and industry members about suicide prevention as it relates to firearms. The partnership aims to educate firearm owners about suicide, its warning signs, risk factors and the importance of securely storing fire...

With the “app economy” predicted to double by 2020 to an incredible $101 billion, and the number of new apps quickly rising, app developers (and, frankly, anyone else involved in app development from owners to investors) need to focus on critical legal issues to protect themselves and their apps. An article published by VentureBeat touts a report from App Annie that the app economy is steadily on...

Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis just granted the defendants’ motion to strike all of the plaintiffs’ claims in Soto v. Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, et al. A copy of the decision can be found here. The Soto case arose from the December 14, 2012 shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the Bushmaster XM-1...

On September 28, 2016, in Murphey v. Guerrero, Chief Judge Ramona Manglona of the U.S. District Court for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands declared several key aspects of the Weapons Control Act and Special Act for Firearms Enforcement of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (“CNMI”) to be unconstitutional on the basis that they violate the right to keep and bear arms prote...

This week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard oral arguments in two closely-watched cases challenging Washington D.C.’s strict concealed carry laws, Wrenn et al. v. District of Columbia et al., and Grace et al. v. District of Columbia et al. Both cases involve challenges to the District of Columbia's “may-issue” concealed carry law found at D.C. Code § 22...

Christopher Renzulli appeared before Indiana’s highest court -- the Supreme Court of Indiana – on Wednesday on behalf of an Indiana firearms retailer and its owner concerning the application of an Indiana Statute, I.C. 34-12-3-3, that prohibits civil lawsuits for claims against a firearms seller for “recovery of damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm or ammunition for ...

As the 15th Annual Firearms Import/Export Conference confirmed, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) remains dedicated to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement. The FCPA is complex and nuanced but, in a nutshell, prohibits bribes to foreign officials. In April, DOJ announced that it was in the process of dedicating significantly greater resources to the FCPA by adding 10 new prosecutor...

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP regularly represents federal firearms licensees who receive a report of violations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) based on a compliance inspection. We recently represented federally licensed firearms dealers in the ATF’s Dallas and Houston Field Divisions with regard to reports of violations they had received at the conclusion of compli...

There is a new and potentially powerful tool available to protect trade secrets – ex parte seizures. The Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), enacted May 11, 2016, implements a federal civil cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. Among its remedies, the DTSA permits injunctive relief, the recovery of damages for misappropriation, attorney’s fees for willful conduct and ex parte seizures u...

On March 21, 2016 the United States Supreme Court issued a per curiam (“by the Court”) opinion, without full written or oral arguments, in Caetano v. Massachusetts vacating a decision by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts that upheld the conviction of Jaime Caetano for possession of a stun gun. Ms. Caetano had possessed the stun gun in order protect herself from an abusive boyfriend. The Massachus...

On February 22, Christopher Renzulli appeared before Judge Barbara Bellis in the Fairfield Judicial District Superior Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut to argue a motion to dismiss a major firearms distributor from litigation that arises out of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 12, 2012. The manufacturer, distributor and retailer of the AR-15 rifle used by Adam Lanza are defenda...

It was another successful SHOT Show for the firearms industry this year. The NSSF reports that it was the second highest attendance total ever – more than 64,000 industry professionals attended the Show. The industry sent a message to its detractors through its robust attendance that it is alive and well and flourishing and will not back down to them during this crucial election year. Renzulli ...

Supreme Court Denies Review of Assault Weapons Ban On Monday, December 7, 2015, the United States Supreme Court denied review of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuits ruling in Friedman v. City of Highland Park. The case arose out of the City of Highland Parks ordinance prohibiting possession of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, defined as a magazin...

January 2, 2015: On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza murdered twenty-six people and injured an additional six people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Representatives of the estates of eight of the people he killed, and one person who was injured, filed a lawsuit in the Connecticut Superior Court on December 13, 2014. Rather than suing Adam Lanza’s estate, however, they filed suit against the m...

January 2, 2015: Renzulli Law Firm, LLP recently obtained a complete dismissal of all claims against a premises owner and large contractor on an appeal to the New York Appellate Division, First Department. In a lawsuit titled Brown v. New York Hospital Medical Center, a case previously pending in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, our firm represented the defendant general contractor...

March 18, 2014: Renzulli Law Firm, LLP recently obtained a complete defense judgment for a large, nationwide firearms dealer through a motion to dismiss pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”). In a case brought in the Supreme Court of Ulster County New York, plaintiff’s decedent, a twenty-three year old woman, lawfully purchased a shotgun after completing a 4473 for...

December 4, 2013: Renzulli Law Firm, LLP recently obtained a complete defense verdict from the American Arbitration Association in a case it arbitrated for one of its firearm industry clients. In Sabre Defence Industries LLC v. Steyr Arms, Inc., et al. the bankruptcy trustee for the company that had previously manufactured AUG rifles in the United States commenced an arbitration proceeding agains...

RLF Addresses Nation’s Best Sports

October 17, 2013: Christopher Renzulli was recently asked to speak at the Nation’s Best Sports Fall Semi-Annual Show in Fort Worth, Texas. Nation’s Best Sports, the largest sporting goods volume buying group in North America, has over 300 members which operate more than 800 retail stores, including many firearms and ammunition retailers. This recent presentation focused on the new a...

Renzulli Law Firm Victory in CT

August 9, 2013 : Attached is a short summary of a ruling we recently received for one of our firearms retailer clients in Connecticut granting summary judgment and dismissing the lawsuit against the retailer. It was a creative (yet unsuccessful) attempt by the Brady Center to revive their original case – which we were previously successful in getting dismissed on PLCAA grounds. A copy of the r...

Federal District Court Grants Renzulli Law Firm’s Summary Judgment Motion & Awards Sanctions

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania recently granted the summary judgment motion that RLF (“RLF”) filed on behalf of its clients, a major firearms manufacturer and a firearms distributor. In addition, the Court granted RLF’s motion for monetary sanctions against the plaintiffs’ counsel and his firm pursuant to Rule 11 of the Federal R...

John Renzulli and Christopher Renzulli Featured by Defense Research Institute (DRI)

The Defense Research Institute (DRI) featured Renzulli Law Firm’s complete dismissal of a wrongful death and negligence case in the May 2 edition of The Voice in the notable column And The Defense Wins. Renzulli Law Firm obtained a complete dismissal of the case based on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Plaintiff’s motion to reargue and subsequent appeal were dismissed as untimely....

John Renzulli and Christopher Renzulli Featured by DRI

The Defense Research Institute (DRI) featured Renzulli Law Firm’s recent appellate victory in the Massachusetts Appeals Court in the March edition of The Voice in its notable column And The Defense Wins. Renzulli Law Firm obtained summary judgment on behalf of its client in this very interesting litigation involving claims of product defect. For more information or media inquiries please ...

Renzulli Law Firm Praised for Participation in WCBA 2012 Summer Intern Program

The Westchester County Bar Association Newsletter recently published an article concerning the continued success of the WCBA Diversity Committee's Summer Intern Program. This year Renzulli Law Firm hosted Yonkers High School Senior Gabriela Tavarez. The complete article is available here.

RENZULLI LAW FIRM VICTORY LAUDED BY FFLGUARD

Renzulli Law Firm and Partner Christopher Renzulli were again in the spotlight for the widely-watched Gilland v. Sportsmen's Outpost, Inc. case in Hartford, Connecticut. On July 1, 2011 FFLGuard lauded Renzulli Law Firm and Christopher Renzulli for obtaining a complete dismissal on behalf of defendants in the case. Below is an excerpt from FFLGuard's publication: (more…)

Renzulli Law Firm Wins Complete Dismissals For Firearms Retailer And Manufacturer

Renzulli Law Firm recently posted victories in two separate widely-watched cases, Gilland v. Sportsmen's Outpost, Inc. and Williams v. Beemiller. Gilland v. Sportsmen’s Outpost, Inc. Led by Partner Christopher Renzulli, Renzulli Law Firm recently obtained a complete dismissal of a firearms retailer in the widely-publicized case, Gilland v. Sportsmen’s Outpost, Inc. in Hartford, Connecticut. Th...

Michael Patrick Quoted In NBC Chicago’s “How to Learn From Groupon’s Legal Scrapes”

NBC's popular how-to blog, Inc. Well, recently quoted Renzulli Law Firm's Michael Patrick in an article, How to Learn From Groupon's Legal Scrapes. The article addresses the relationship between outside counsel and small businesses in light of recent headlines involving several of Groupon's deals. While Inc. Well is dedicated to serving the Chicago business community, many of its articles and pos...

Press Quotes Christopher Renzulli in Another PLCAA Case

Renzulli Law Firm Partner Christopher Renzulli was again quoted in the news in connection with litigation involving the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) in Connecticut. In the case, Christopher Renzulli leads the defense of a Connecticut firearms retailer. Renzulli Law Firm moved to dismiss the case against the retailer on PLCAA grounds. An oral argument on the motion to ...

Christopher Renzulli and John Tait's Court's Struggle to Corral Scaffold Law's 'Runner' was prominently featured in the December 10, 2010 issue of the New York Law Journal. Renzulli and Tait's article has attracted attention in the legal community, and was discussed in a February 10, 2011 article in the New York Law Journal (subscription required). Click READ MORE to access Renzulli and Tait's ar...

Defense Research Institute (DRI) Lauds Another Major Renzulli Law Firm Victory

AND THE DEFENSE WINS! The Defense Research Institute (DRI) featured Renzulli Law Firm's recent summary judgment victory in Los Angeles Superior Court in the November edition of The Voice in its notable column And the Defense Wins. The victory has been covered by major media outlets across the country and specifically in California. Summary judgement was obtained on behalf of Glock, Inc. and L...

Renzulli Law Firm Joins The Defense Association of New York

Renzulli Law Firm is pleased to announce that it has joined the ranks of the prestigious Defense Association of New York (“DANY”). For decades, DANY has been committed to improving legal services for the defense by promoting education, cooperation and the exchange of information amongst defense attorneys practicing throughout the State of New York. DANY also serves defense attorneys...

Renzulli Law Firm Featured in IPFrontline Magazine

An article by Michael Patrick and John Renzulli, Sellers Beware: New Breed of Aggressive Plaintiffs Hunt Expired Patent Numbers on Products and Product Literature; Demand Billions, was featured in the leading on-line intellectual property publication IPFrontline Magazine. IPFrontline Magazine is widely considered the premiere on-line magazine for intellectual property and technology in the United ...

$10 Million Defamation Action Brought by Pet Cemetery Against Pet Owner Successfully Dismissed by Renzulli Law Firm

This matter was commenced by a well-known pet cemetery in Westchester County which had removed and disposed of the remains of a dog belonging to our client, without her knowledge. In early January of 2000, arrangements were made for the interment of our client’s pet at a pet cemetery located in Hartsdale, New York. Unbeknownst to our client, however, in 2007, her pet was disinterred and di...

Renzulli Law Firm Obtains Summary Judgment In Highly Publicized California Products Liability Case

Renzulli Law Firm recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of Glock, Inc. and Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club (LAPRAC) in a significant products liability action in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles. This action was based on an incident that occurred on July 11, 2006 in Anaheim, California as the plaintiff, a former Los Angeles Police Departmen...

Renzulli Law Firm Obtains Summary Judgment for Product Manufacturer in New York

Renzulli Law Firm recently obtained summary judgment for a major firearms manufacturer. The plaintiff, a Westchester County (NY) police officer, was injured when he was shot in the leg by a fellow officer. Reports following the incident indicated that the fellow officer attempted to activate an accessory tactical light mounted underneath the barrel of his pistol and accidentally pulled the trig...

Renzulli Law Firm Represents Purchaser in Acquisition of Magnum Research, Inc.’s Assets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WHITE PLAINS, NY – Renzulli Law Firm has announced that it represented a purchaser in the acquisition of Magnum Research, Inc.'s assets. Magnum Research, Inc., which is based in Minnesota, was the owner and manufacturer of the well-known DESERT EAGLE pistol. Saeilo Enterprises, Inc. is the parent corporation of the purchaser and will retain the name Magnum Research,...

National Shooting Sports Foundation Spotlights Victory at the U.S. Supreme Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INDUSTRY LAUDS DENIAL OF CERTIORARI BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN ILETO v. GLOCK, INC.; RENZULLI LAW FIRM CITED FOR VICTORY The National Shooting Sports Foundation today highlighted the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal of Ileto v. Glock, Inc. as a featured item in its well-known Bullet Points publication. The feature quotes Renzulli Law Firm's Christopher Ren...

Supreme Court Denies Plaintiff’s Petition for Certiorari in Ileto v. Glock, Inc.

On May 24, 2010, the United States Supreme Court denied plaintiff Lilian S. Ileto’s petition for a writ of certiorari, bringing this decade-long case to a close. The Ileto case arose from Bufford Furrow’s shooting of several children at the North Valley Jewish Community Center and subsequent murder of U.S. postal worker Joseph S. Ileto in Los Angeles on August 10, 1999. Mr. Furrow wa...

New York Courts Apply the Expanded Fireman’s Rule

On April 13, 2010, the Appellate Division, First Department, vacated an earlier decision it had issued in Ferriolo v. City of New York, and upon reconsideration, found that the Fireman’s Rule bars a negligence action brought by a police officer who was shot by a fellow officer while he was changing into his uniform in the police station locker room. Ferriolo is the first Appellate Division ...

New York Court of Appeals Expands Scope of Scaffold Law

The New York Court of Appeals recently extended the scope of New York labor law in an interesting decision titled Runner v. New York Stock Exchange. This action was commenced in Federal Court by an electrician, Victor Runner, to recover damages for injuries he sustained while engaged in a major rehabilitation project at the New York Stock Exchange. The accident occurred as plaintiff and his co-w...

Recent Supreme Court Decision on Political Speech by Corporations

On January 21, 2010, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. This decision struck down the prohibition contained in the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (also known as the McCain-Feingold Act) that barred corporations from using general treasury funds to engage in an “electioneering communication,” which was bro...

Oral Argument Before the Supreme Court in Historic Second Amendment Case of McDonald v. Chicago

On March 2, 2010, oral argument was held before the United States Supreme Court in the McDonald v. Chicago case. A transcript of the argument is here. On June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court issued its decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms and, on that basis, striking down the District of Columbia’s ban ...

Press Quotes Christopher Renzulli In Major Firearms Case

Renzulli Law Firm's victory in Ileto v. Glock, Inc. was one of the major defense victories of 2009. Ileto v. Glock, Inc., et al., 565 F.3d 1126 (2009) was a significant test of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case itself was highly publicized in media outlets around the Country following Bufford Furrow’s shooting of several ch...

Renzulli Law Firm Wins Another Complete Dismissal

Renzulli Law Firm successfully won a complete dismissal in Werner v. Pars & Strikes, a case previously pending in the New York Supreme Court, County of Richmond. Our firm represented the defendant in the litigation.This matter was commenced by Stephanie Werner, a teenager, and her mother against a recreational facility. Among the many attractions at the recreational facility were a series of ba...

Firm Saves Retail Dealer’s Federal Firearms License From Revocation by Federal Authorities

Renzulli Law Firm, LLP recently represented a retail firearms dealer in New York in connection with a proceeding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) had commenced to revoke its federal firearms license because of various record keeping discrepancies. By working with the ATF, we were able to prevent the revocation of the dealer's license and it was only req...

Firm Defeats Wrongful Termination Claim in Mississippi

NEW YORK-NY---On December 17, 2009, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi granted a motion for summary judgment filed by Renzulli Law Firm, LLP and dismissed the complaint against its client in its entirety. Plaintiff was terminated for poor performance in August 2006. He responded by suing his former employer claiming that he had been discharged in violati...

John Renzulli leads the defense team in a high profile case covered by news outlets throughout the United States. (John Renzulli at trial)

John Renzulli represented several high profile defendants, including GLOCK, Inc., in one of the most publicized and contentious cases waging war against the firearms industry as a whole. A copy of the article from New York Law Journal Magazine is available below.

Defense Research Institute Lauds Renzulli Law Firm for Major Victory

In October 2009, Defense Research Institute (DRI) selected Renzulli Law Firm's victory in Ileto v. Glock, Inc. as one of the major defense victories of the month. Ileto v. Glock, Inc., et al., 565 F.3d 1126 (2009) was a significant test of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case itself was highly publicized in media outlets around the C...

Renzulli Law Firm Wins Complete Dismissal for Shotgun Manufacturer

On June 22, 2009, the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Appellate District in Portage County, Ohio issued a decision affirming an order granting summary judgment in favor of O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. and Maverick Arms, Inc. and dismissing the complaint against them in its entirety. On December 26, 2002, Plaintiff, Nathan Gay, then sixteen years old, was shot by his friend, Billy Clayton, Jr....

Preventative Product Liability: Warnings and Instructions

Manufacturers have a duty to provide consumers with reasonable warnings and instructions regarding the risks associated with their products. Courts examine several factors in determining whether a manufacturer has a duty to warn consumers of a particular risk. Included amongst these factors are the gravity of the risks posed by the product, the likelihood that it will cause injury to an uninformed...

Sports Law: Assumption of Risk and Judicial Review of Torts in Athletics

The majority of U.S. jurisdictions hold that voluntary participants in athletic contests owe no duty of care to each other to reduce or eliminate the risks of harm that are inherent in the sport itself. Knight v. Jewett, 3 Cal. 4th 296, 316-20 (1992); Gauvin v. Clark, 537 N.E.2d 94, 97 (Mass. 1989). The rationale often given is that the plaintiff has assumed such risks because he has consented t...