Sanford Heisler Along with Co-Counsel Secure Largest Jury Verdict Against a Gun Dealer in U.S. History

By: Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight LLP via GlobeNewswire

August 28, 2025 at 10:31 AM EDT

BALTIMORE, Aug. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a landmark decision, late yesterday a six-person Baltimore City jury returned a $62 million verdict against Hanover Armory, the largest jury verdict against a gun dealer in U.S. history.

Hanover Armory, a Maryland-based gun retailer, was found negligent in its sales of ghost gun kits. After just 90 minutes of deliberation, jurors concluded that the company’s actions and sales were a substantial factor in creating a public nuisance in Baltimore.

The verdict followed seven days of testimony in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Jurors heard extensive evidence that Hanover Armory’s sales of untraceable, unserialized firearms—commonly known as ghost guns, fueled violent crime across Baltimore neighborhoods and placed residents at ongoing risk.

The case was brought on behalf of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, who were represented by Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, Berger Montague, and Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

“This verdict sends a powerful message that gun manufacturers and retailers cannot turn a blind eye to the public safety consequences of their business practices,” said Saba Bireda, partner at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and co-counsel in the case. “The jury’s swift and decisive verdict underscores the seriousness of Hanover Armory’s misconduct and puts other gun manufacturers and retailers on notice that any profits they make will go to the cities where their products have wreaked havoc and threatened the safety of everyday citizens.”

According to evidence presented at trial, between 2019 and 2022, ghost gun recoveries in Baltimore surged by nearly 1500%, with many of the recovered weapons linked to shootings, homicides, and youth-involved crimes. Ghost gun kits are particularly attractive to prohibited purchasers—including juveniles, convicted felons, domestic abusers, and gun traffickers—because they can be purchased without background checks or identification.

The case proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 7-2 ruling in May 2025 that ghost gun kits are firearms under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.

The $62 million award not only represents the largest jury verdict against a gun retailer in U.S. history but also marks a significant legal precedent in holding firearm retailers accountable for fueling gun violence through irresponsible business practices.

This victory is part of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s longstanding commitment to public impact litigation, where the firm leverages the civil justice system to address systemic harms and protect vulnerable communities nationwide.

About Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight

Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight is a public interest and civil rights law firm with offices in New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Nashville, and San Diego. The firm focuses on executive representation, wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wage theft and overtime violations, whistleblower and qui tam, sexual violence, Title IX violations and victims’ rights, financial mismanagement and ERISA litigation, and Asian American litigation and finance matters. Our lawyers have recovered over $1 billion for our clients through many verdicts and settlements.

In 2024, Forbes named Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight Chairman and Co-Founder David Sanford to its inaugural list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers. The National Law Journal has selected Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight as Civil Rights Firm of the Year, and it has recognized the firm as both Employment Rights Firm of the Year and Human Rights Firm of the Year. Benchmark Litigation has named the firm Labor & Employment Firm of the Year, and Law360 has recognized the firm as Employment Practice Group of the Year.

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If you have potential legal claims and are seeking counsel, please call 646-768-7070 or email david.sanford@sanfordheisler.com. Attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight would like to have the opportunity to help you.

Media Contact: Jamie Moss, newsPRos, at 201-788-0142 or Jamie@newspros.com.