[19990330]RS20126_枪支行业责任：诉讼和立法.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS20126Updated March 30, 1999Gun Industry Liability: Lawsuits and LegislationHenry CohenLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryA number of cities have recently filed suit or plan to file suit against gunmanufacturers and gun marketers. These suits are based on different legal theories, butthey all seek to recover the cities expenses resulting from the use of guns. About 20states, however, are considering legislation to prevent their cities from suing the gunindustry, and, on February 9, 1999, Georgia became the first state to enact such a law.Members of the 106 Congress, meanwhile, have introduced bills to permit and tothpreclude suits against the gun industry. History: Maryland and D.C.In 1985, the Maryland Court of Appeals announced that it was changing the commonlaw “to hold the manufacturers and marketers of Saturday Night Special handguns strictlyliable to innocent persons who suffer gunshot injuries from the criminal use of theirproducts.” Kelley v. R.G. Industries, Inc., 497 A.2d 1143, 1159 (Md. 1985). This rulingchanged the common law in that the comm