The action seeks $20 million in damages for libel per se and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act

WESTPORT, Conn., Jun 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut has denied Sig Sauer, Inc.’s motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by Connecticut attorney Jeffrey S. Bagnell and his law firm, Jeffrey S. Bagnell, Esq., LLC.

Denying Sig’s Sauer’s Motion to Dismiss in full, the Court found that Sig Sauer’s March 7, 2025 press release, titled “The Truth About the P320,” plausibly contained defamatory statements directed at Mr. Bagnell as one of a very small group of trial attorneys who has litigated P320 uncommanded discharge claims against the company for the last ten years. The Court wrote:

“Sig Sauer’s language strongly suggests that the Statement is fact. The Statement begins with ‘[t]he P320 CANNOT, under any circumstances, discharge without a trigger pull – that is a fact.’ It continues by stating that those alleging claims against the P320 ‘have no evidence, no data and no empirical testing to support any of their claims.’ The Statement’s emphasis on facts, evidence, and testing suggests to a reasonable juror that the alleged opinion is one based in fact.”

It further found that the statement’s characterization of those attorneys as dishonest, purveyors of “manufactured lies”, “grifters,” and without evidence is actionable under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

“After 33 years of practicing law without ever encountering this kind of press release, I’m pleased that the Court has allowed this case to proceed,” said Bagnell. “The release was defamatory and ill-advised, especially given the content of Sig’s own patent filings and press releases stating that impulses and vibration can have extremely negative effects on this weapon.  This ruling affirms that false accusations like this, distributed to millions of people on social media and elsewhere, can have serious consequences.”

The case, Bagnell v. Sig Sauer, Inc., No. 3:25-cv-00625, will proceed in the District of Connecticut.

Media Contact:
Jeffrey S. Bagnell, Esq., LLC
Westport, Connecticut
ak.s@mac.com

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SOURCE JEFFREY S. BAGNELL,ESQ.,LLC