Plano Courthouse: First Not Guilty Verdict in History

Justin’s client: A gun collector charged with dealing firearms without a license.

The United States Attorney’s office presented evidence with the help of the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms), showing over 300 firearms transactions over a two year period. Ultimately, over 50 firearms were seized from the home of Justin’s client.

Justin was able to convince the jury that his client was not a dealer, but rather a gun collector whose motive was only to improve his own collection. The defense involved cross examination of the government’s witnesses and presentation of his own witnesses. Justin also introduced specific examples from the federal firearms license application to show his client’s actions were compliant with the requirements of the application.

Craig Gottlieb, who worked side by side with us for over a year and played an integral role in our success.

Craig is a sworn Peace Officer in the state of California, and a former Marine Corps major who now runs History Hunter, one of the largest historic firearms and military antiques businesses in the country. Craig’s expertise in firearms as a licensed FFL dealer helped us prepare for the ATF’s testimony of ATF agents and his own testimony was a pivotal part of the trial.

Justin’s defense and the 12 jurors’ not guilty decision will mark a significant event in the Plano Courthouse’s history. Justin is an expert in Texas firearms law and excels at cases that involve the details of carry and purchase rights.

Read what U.S. Law Shield and The Defender Blog have to say about the verdict.