Ninth Circuit Tosses Injunction Against Taking 3D-Printed Weapons Off Munitions List

The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit removed a preliminary injunction against the State Department in an April 27 decision, allowing the agency move 3D-printed weapons off the U.S. Munitions List and onto the Commerce Control List. A State rule issued in 2020 would have made that change, but it was partly blocked as part a lawsuit filed by 20 states.

The Ninth Circuit reversed the lower court's decision to impose the injunction because it held that "Congress expressly barred judicial review of designations and undesignations of defense articles under the" Arms Export Control Act. The district court "injunction is therefore contrary to law," it said.