The anti-gun ABA was never know to be a friend to the gun owner.
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http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/nm/20010807/ts/life_lawyers_guns_dc_1.html
Law Group Opposes Gunmaker Lawsuit Immunity
Tuesday August 7 7:16 PM ET
Law Group Opposes Gunmaker Lawsuit Immunity
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The American Bar Association on Tuesday passed a resolution
opposing state and federal legislation that would protect the firearms industry
from civil lawsuits.
The resolution, introduced by the Los Angeles County Bar Association, was in
response to legislation pending in Congress that would strip courts of
jurisdiction to hear civil claims against gunmakers.
The legislation is similar to bills enacted in 19 states in the last two years
creating a special immunity for the firearms industry from claims brought by
government bodies. Five states have also passed laws protecting gunmakers from
suits, including those brought by individuals, on negligence or nuisance
theories.
There are a dozen lawsuits by California cities and counties, including Los
Angeles and San Francisco, that are set for trial in San Diego.
``The American Bar Association should approve this proposed recommendation
because the ABA continues to support stronger -- not weaker -- legal
responsibility and accountability for public safety by gun manufacturers and
dealers,'' the Los Angeles County Bar said.
The Los Angeles bar said these legislative proposals took the power away from
courts to determine civil claims against a single industry ``with a great deal
of political clout'' while liability was preserved for all other industries.
``There should be uniform agreement that it is up to the courts to determine
whether the gun industry or any other industry is liable under applicable state
common law with the context of a given set of facts,'' it said. ``There is no
legitimate reason why this industry should be exempt from the same common law
principles that govern all other industries.''
On Monday the California Supreme Court ruled that gun manufacturers cannot be
held responsible when products are used to commit crimes.
The court overturned a state appellate decision that would have opened the way
for victims of gun violence to sue manufacturers for the harms their products
caused. The case grew out of a 1993 shooting rampage at a San Francisco high
rise.
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