Promoting Firearm‑Industry Accountability Through Strategic Transnational Human‑Rights Litigation
Promoting Firearm‑Industry Accountability Through Transnational Litigation
A new article in the American Journal of International Law explores an emerging strategy for addressing gun‑industry misconduct: using transnational human‑rights litigation to hold U.S. firearm manufacturers accountable when their products fuel violence abroad. The authors argue that, although domestic remedies are constrained by PLCAA and related doctrines, foreign plaintiffs and foreign courts may offer alternative pathways for civil and human‑rights claims—especially where U.S.‑made weapons contribute to abuses in other countries.
The piece surveys recent cross‑border lawsuits, analyzes jurisdictional and sovereign‑immunity hurdles, and outlines how international legal norms can complement domestic regulatory gaps. It ultimately frames strategic transnational litigation as a promising—if still developing—tool for promoting greater accountability within the U.S. gun industry.
