Pittsburgh Sued Over Illegal, Anti-Gun Enactments

Posted on by Joshua Prince, Esq.

Today, Chief Counsel Joshua Prince of the Firearms Industry Consulting Group, a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., filed suit on behalf of Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League (ACSL), Firearm Owners Against Crime (FOAC), Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Firearms Policy Foundation (FPF), and several individual plaintiffs against the City of Pittsburgh, Mayor Peduto and several City Councilmembers for violating Pennsylvania’s Constitution and statutory law in relation to their passage of several anti-gun enactments.

In the first action, ACSL filed a contempt petition and brief in support for numerous violations of a 1995 Court Order approving a Settlement Agreement between the City of Pittsburgh and ACSL, et al. The petition for contempt requests that the court fine and sanction the City of Pittsburgh, award attorney fees and costs, and hold the Mayor and Councilmembers severally and jointly liable for violating terms of a longstanding court order that required them to “abide by and adhere to Pennsylvania law.” As the City of Pittsburgh stipulated that the City’s Ordinance 30 of 1994 was preempted by 18 Pa.C.S. § 6120, as it regulated the use, possession and transfer of what the City classified as ‘assault weapons,’ ammunition and firearm accessories, ACSL contends that the City’s new gun control laws clearly and unequivocally violate the Settlement Agreement and Court Order.

A second action, brought by FOAC, FPC, FPF, and several individuals, in a 407 paragraph, 94 page Complaint, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the City of Pittsburgh, Mayor Peduto and the individual City Councilmembers that voted in favor of the anti-gun enactments. The Complaint, spanning 16 counts, includes counts for numerous violations of everything from the Pennsylvania Constitution to the Crimes Code to failure to comply with the City Home Rule Charter and City Council Rules.

It is unfortunate that City’s taxpayers will be burdened by the City’s elected officials believing it is acceptable – and even gloating – that they are violating the Pennsylvania Constitution and Crimes Code.

If you are in a position to be able to support these matters, ACSL and FOAC would greatly appreciate donations, which can be made online through the Firm’s escrow account here – https://secure.lawpay.com/pages/civilrightsdefensefirm/trust. Simply place “ACSL/FOAC Pittsburgh Preemption Litigation” in the reference box.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an unlawful municipal firearm or ammunition regulation or ordinance, contact FICG today to discuss your options.

 

Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®) is a registered trademark and division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., with rights and permissions granted to Prince Law Offices, P.C. to use in this article.

Published by Joshua Prince, Esq.

With our 2nd Amendment rights being attacked at both the Federal and State level, and the ATF (Burea of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) trying to close down FFLs (Federal Firearms Licensees) for minor infractions while making FFLs the scapegoat when the ATF's records are inaccurate, I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am one of only a handful of attorneys across the US that practices in the niche area of law known as firearms law. I decided to concentrate my legal practice on firearms law not only because I am a shooter and firearms enthusiast, but also to ensure that our inalienable Right to Keep and Bear Arms is never encroached upon. I handle cases at the Federal and State level for both FFLs and individuals. At the federal and state levels for individuals, I actively defend the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution and Section 21 of the PA Constitution, as well as, help individuals with: - License to Carry Firearms Denials; - Challenges to Erroneous PICS Denials; - Relief from Firearms Disabilities; - Estate Planning Advice; - Gun/NFA Trusts; and - 42 USC 1983 Actions for Deprivation of Civil Rights At both the state and federal levels, I represent FFLs and SOTs throughout Pennsylvania and the US regarding: - ATF Compliance Inspections; - Warning Letters and Hearings; - FFL Revocations; - Corporate Structure Advice - Indoor/Outdoor Range Implementation; and - Forfeiture Proceedings In following my love for firearms and firearms law, I have taught several Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars on Firearms in Estates and Trusts and Firearms Law 101 for several Bar Associations, including Berks, Cumberland, and Dauphin Counties. I also planned and taught several Firearms in Estates CLE classes for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI). While at Widener Law School, I was a member of the Widener Law Journal. I wrote an article on the Inaccuracy of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). I also had an article published on Fee Disputes in Workers Compensation cases in the Widener Law Journal, Volume 18, No. 2. You can often find me posting on several internet forums, including Subguns, Uzitalk, AR15, and PAFOA. I also hold PA Firearms Law classes for local ranges to inform the public on the firearm laws of the Commonwealth. Following in my father's footsteps, I am also a Board member for the Pottstown Police Athletic League (PAL).

9 thoughts on “Pittsburgh Sued Over Illegal, Anti-Gun Enactments”

  4. The mayor just taunting and paraphrasing, “go ahead try and put me in jail”. He might be getting his wish or at least removed from office.

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