Agreeing to settle a lawsuit filed by the National Rifle Association, the city of New Orleans promised this week to return hundreds of firearms seized by police from law-abiding citizens during the chaotic days that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Gun-rights groups took the city to task after National Guard soldiers and police officers confiscated weapons without a warrant or probable cause during the storm’s aftermath.
U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier hasn’t signed the agreement yet, and no monetary award is in the settlement.
The city agreed to give back the guns to their rightful owners via its Web site. Within one month, the city’s Web site will include a form that citizens may fill out as the first step to retrieving their weapons.
Proof of ownership isn’t required, but an owner must sign an affidavit claiming ownership and pass a background check. 
