The federal district court dismissed our "compelled speech" case against Anne Arundel County today, holding that the County's ordinance forcing firearms dealers to distribute the County's views on firearms and suicide did not violate the First Amendment. We respectfully disagree with the Court's opinion. We filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Court held oral argument on that appeal on December 8, 2023. We await a decision.
3/22/23 - Order Granting Denying Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgement, Granting Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
Field Traders, LLC, a firearms dealer and manufacturer located in Pasadena, Maryland.
https://fieldtraders.com/
Cindy's Hot Shots, Inc., a shooting range and firearms dealer located in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
https://www.cindyshotshots.com/
Pasadena Arms, Inc., a firearms dealer located in Pasadena, Maryland.
http://pasadenaarmsllc.com/
Worth-A-Shot, Inc., a firearms dealer located in Millersville, Maryland
https://worth-a-shot.com/
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Maryland Shall Issue®, Inc. (MSI) is a Section 504(c)(4), all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of gun owners' rights in Maryland. It seeks to educate the community about the right of self-protection, the safe handling of firearms, and the responsibility that goes with carrying a firearm in public.
Case Documents and History
US District Court for the District of Maryland Case# 8:21-cv-01736-TDC
4/11/22 - Complaint
4/20/22 - Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction and Temporary Restraining Order, or, in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment
4/20/22 - Memorandum In Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction and Temporary Restraining Order and in Support of Plaintiffs’ Alternative Motion For Summary Judgment
4/20/22 - Proposed Order
4/21/22 - Letter Order Setting Opposition Filing Deadline of 4/29/22
4/27/22 - Paperless Order on TRO Extension and Hearing Date
5/5/22 - Defendant’s Response To Motion For Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction, and Request for the Court to Set Scheduling Order
-County enforcement of Bill 108-21 suspended-
5/5/22 - Defendant - Rule 56(D) Declaration of Counsel
5/6/22 - Plaintiffs' Corrected Reply in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment and in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Discovery
5/6/22 - Order canceling 5/10/2022 hearing and converting to telephone conference
5/10/22 - Telephone Conference held on 5/10/2022 before Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher
5/11/22 - Scheduling Order
5/13/22 - Defendant's Answer to Complaint
6/6/22 - Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Eric Tirschwell, Esquire by Anne Arundel County, Maryland
6/6/22 - Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for James Miller, Esquire by Anne Arundel County, Maryland
6/6/22 - Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Andrew Nellis, Esquire by Anne Arundel County, Maryland
6/16/22 - Consent MOTION for Protective Order by Cindy's Hot Shots, Inc., Field Traders, LLC, Maryland Shall Issue, Inc., Pasadena Arms, LLC, Worth-A-Shot, Inc.
6/21/22 - PROTECTIVE ORDER. Signed by Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher on 6/21/2022
7/6/22 - Correspondence re: Parties' Joint Request to Modify Scheduling Order
7/6/22 - ORDER granting Parties' 31 Joint Request to MODIFY SCHEDULING ORDER. Signed by Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher on 7/6/2022
8/16/22 - MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Nina Sudarsan by Anne Arundel County, Maryland
9/13/22 - Correspondence re: Consent Motion to Modify Scheduling Order for deposition of Expert Witness
9/29/22 - Consent Motion to Modify the Scheduling Order
9/29/22 - PAPERLESS ORDER APPROVING Consent Motion to Modify Scheduling Order. Signed by Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher on 9/29/2022.
9/30/22 - Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment and Memorandum in Support
10/24/22 - Memorandum in Support of Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
10/24/22 - Memorandum in Support of Defendant's Motion in Limine to Exclude Testimony of Plaintiffs' Expert Gary Kleck
10/31/22 - Memorandum of Plaintiffs in Opposition to Defendant's Motion In Limine
11/2/22 - Consent REQUEST for Extension of Time to File Plaintiffs' Reply and/or Response to Cross Motion and Anne Arundel County's Reply
11/3/22 - PAPERLESS ORDER APPROVING re Request for Extension of Time to File Plaintiffs' Reply and/or Response to Cross Motion and Anne Arundel County's Reply.
11/14/22 - Reply Memorandum in Support of Defendant's Motion In Limine to Exclude Testimony of Plaintiffs' Expert Gary Kleck
11/14/22 - Memorandum of Plaintiffs in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Reply In Support Of Plaintiffs’ Motion For Summary Judgment
12/9/22 - Reply Memorandum in Support of Defendant’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
3/22/23 - Memorandum Opinion
3/22/23 - Order Granting Denying Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgement, Granting Defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment
3/26/23 - Plaintiffs' Notice of Appeal
Full Federal District Court Docket Available HERE
US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Case# 23-1351
4/3/23 - Case docketed. Originating case number: 1:22-cv-00865-SAG.
4/3/23 - BRIEFING ORDER filed. Opening Brief and Appendix due 05/15/2023. Response Brief due 06/12/2023.
4/4/23 - Appearance of Counsel by Mark Pennak for the Plaintiffs
4/17/23 - Appearance of Counsel by Neal Ketyal for the Defendants
4/18/23 - Plaintiffs-Appellants' Motion to Expedite the Appeal
4/18/23 - Response Requested of Defendant, due 4/28/23
4/28/23 - Defendant-Appellee's Response in Partial Opposition to Motion to Expedite
4/28/23 - Order filed deferring action on Motion to Expedite filed by Maryland Shall Issue
5/15/23 - Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
5/19/23 - Defendant-Appellee's Motion for an Extension of Time
5/19/23 - ORDER filed granting Motion to extend filing time. Number of days granted: 28. Response brief due 07/10/2023.
7/10/23 - Defendant-Appellee's Response Brief
7/14/23 - MOTION by Proposed Amicus Curiae Constitutional Accountability Center for leave to file Amicus Brief
7/14/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by Constitutional Accountability Center
7/14/23 - NOTICE ISSUED to Cindy's Hot Shots, Inc., Field Traders LLC, Maryland Shall Issue, Incorporated, Pasadena Arms, LLC and Worth-A-Shot, Inc. requesting response to Motion for leave to file
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by State of Maryland
7/17/23 - MOTION by Gun Owners for Safety to file amicus curiae brief
7/17/23 - NOTICE ISSUED to Cindy's Hot Shots, Inc., Field Traders LLC, Maryland Shall Issue, Inc., Pasadena Arms, LLC and Worth-A-Shot, Inc. requesting response to Motion to file amicus curiae brief
7/17/23 - MOTION by American Medical Association MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Pediatrics, Maryland Chapter The Maryland Psychiatric Society Washington Psychiatric Society - Potential Amicus Curiae for leave to file
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by American Medical Association MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Pediatrics, Maryland Chapter The Maryland Psychiatric Society Washington Psychiatric Society - Potential Amicus Curiae
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by Dr. Matthew Miller and Dr. Deborah Azrael
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, Tim Carey, Kelly Roskam Amici Curiae Supporting Appellee
7/17/23 - MOTION by ANDREW DUNLAP ATTORNEY FOR DOROTHY PAUGH, GWENDOLYN LA CROIX, CHERYL BROOKS, DON BAUGHAN, AND PATTI BROCKINGTON for leave to file AN AMICI BRIEF
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by ANDREW DUNLAP ATTORNEY FOR DOROTHY PAUGH, GWENDOLYN LA CROIX, CHERYL BROOKS, DON BAUGHAN, AND PATTI BROCKINGTON
7/17/23 - ORDER filed granting filing of amicus curiae brief by State of Maryland
7/17/23 - AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF by Gun Owners for Safety, proposed amicus curiae
7/18/23 - ORDER filed granting filing of amicus curiae briefs by Matthew Miller, Deborah Azrael, The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, Tim Carrey, and Kelly Roskam
7/18/23 - NOTICE ISSUED to Cindy's Hot Shots, Inc., Field Traders LLC, Maryland Shall Issue, Inc., Pasadena Arms, LLC, Worth-A-Shot, Inc. and Anne Arundel County Maryland requesting response to Motion for leave to file, Motion for leave to file. Response due 07/28/2023
7/24/23 - RESPONSE/ANSWER by Patti Brockington, Constitutional Accountability Center, Dorothy Paugh, Gun Owners for Safety, Gwendolyn Lacroix, Cheryl Brooks and Don Baughan to [34]. Nature of response: in opposition
7/31/23 - Reply Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants
9/13/23 - Order Setting Tentative Oral Argument dates
10/13/23 - Oral Argument Dec. 8, 2023 Before Judges Niemeyer, Gregory and Heyten
Full Appellate Docket Available HERE
