GREEN BAY, Wis. (WTAQ) - A gun dealer in Shawano will stay in business while it appeals an order from 2007 to revoke its federal license.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives had ordered Shawano Gun and Loan to stop selling weapons on September 18th. But Federal Judge William Griesbach of Green Bay overturned the order Monday.

The ATF initially agreed to let the weapons sales continue until the store’s appeal is settled. But the agency changed its mind earlier this month. That was after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited the Shawano gun case as an example of how laws passed by Congress interfere with the ATF’s ability to crack down on problem dealers.

Store attorney Raymond Dall’Osto said it was not certain if the media coverage made the ATF change its mind. But he said it was wrong. And judge agreed, saying it was wrong to put the store out of business if the courts eventually decide that the license revocation was improper.

The ATF said it revoked Shawano Gun’s license because it had not kept accurate records of gun sales as required by law. And officials said they found evidence that guns were sold to “straw buyers” – those without criminal records who buy weapons for felons who are not otherwise allowed to buy them.

The store says the records violations were bookkeeping mistakes, and the sales in question were misunderstandings.