Five Maryland citizens waiting delivery of their purchased firearms and three interested Maryland associations filed a complaint today in Baltimore County Circuit Court against the Maryland State Police (MSP) for the state's failure to process firearm applications within the seven days mandated by Maryland law.

• The MSP's failure to comply with its statutory duty -- which MSP has admitted is taking closer to 55 than the required seven days -- infringes the fundamental constitutional right of Maryland citizens to purchase and keep firearms for purposes of self-defense in their homes, as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, and puts them at risk while the bureaucracy takes its time to process citizen applications.  
• The MSP's failure to issue approvals has caused significant economic harm to licensed firearms dealers in Maryland, who receive only a down payment for the firearm until MSP approval is received and possession is transferred.  These business owners also risk civil or criminal sanctions if a firearm has been transferred to a purchaser whose application is later disapproved by the MSP. 
• The lawsuit seeks a court order compelling the MSP to process all firearms applications in seven days as required by law.
• The complaint has been filed by five Maryland citizens awaiting their firearm purchases (including four women seeking handguns for self-protection in their homes), Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore Inc. (an organization founded by World War II veterans in 1944 that promotes and provides training on firearms safety, firearm use and self-defense, has a strong history of defending the 2nd Amendment rights of all law-abiding citizens and actively promotes the private ownership of firearms for law abiding citizens), Maryland Shall Issue, Inc. (an all volunteer, non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving and advancing gun owners' rights in Maryland and educating the community about the right of self-protection, the safe handling of firearms, and the responsibility that goes with carrying a firearm in public), and the Maryland Licensed Firearm Dealers Association (an organization representing the constitutional and economic interests of numerous firearm dealer members in the State of Maryland as well as those of its members' customers and potential customers).