Aviall of Texas, Inc. v. United States

18 Ct. Int'l Trade 727, 861 F. Supp. 100, 18 C.I.T. 727, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 2014, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 150
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedAugust 5, 1994
DocketCourt No. 92-12-00840
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 18 Ct. Int'l Trade 727 (Aviall of Texas, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Aviall of Texas, Inc. v. United States, 18 Ct. Int'l Trade 727, 861 F. Supp. 100, 18 C.I.T. 727, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 2014, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 150 (cit 1994).

Opinion

Opinion

Musgrave, Judge:

Plaintiff initiated this action to challenge Customs’ refusal to reliquidate thirty entries of parts of jet engines and other parts of civil aircraft. Plaintiff moves for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Rules of the United States Court of International Trade. Defendant cross-moves for summary judgment. The Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) and, for the reasons which follow, enters judgment for plaintiff.

Background

Aviall of Texas, Inc. (“Aviall”) is in the business of repairing aircraft engines and engine parts; and selling or leasing engines. Aviall also sells new aircraft parts. AvialPs business is limited to dealing in aircraft engine parts, and related aircraft parts used in civil aircraft. These parts have been entered free 'of duty pursuant to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (“ATCA”) which is set forth in General Headnote 3, HTSUS, and implemented by 19 C.F.R. § 10.183.1

Since 1981 Aviall has imported engines and engine parts which were intended for use and were actually used as parts of civil aircraft in the subject entries. Aviall’s broker filed ablanket certification on November 7,1989 with the U.S. Customs Service (“Customs”) District Director in Dallas as required for duty free treatment under the regulation imple[728]*728menting the ATCA. See Defendant’s Exhibit A, letter of September 24,1992 (from Radix Group International, Inc.). This blanket certification is authorized by 19 C.F.R. § 10.183(c)(2) and is valid for one year pursuant to the terms of that regulation. Aviall alleges that through inadvertence its broker forgot to renew the blanket certification,2 though importations of civil aircraft parts continued. At the time of entry, Aviall submitted entry summaries which claimed duty-free treatment setting forth HTSUS headings preceded by the designation “C” as required in General Headnote 3(c)(iv), HTSUS.3 Several months later, Customs found that the blanket certification had expired. The import specialist liquidated the subject entries for an advance of duty, and denied duty free treatment because the blanket certification of use as civil aircraft parts on file had not been timely renewed.,

Aviall filed timely protests regarding the subject liquidations pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1514. Aviall supported its protests with entry-by-entry certifications to cover all the subject merchandise, in addition to promptly filing an annual blanket certification. These protests noted that the blanket certification was not renewed due to clerical error. See 19 U.S.C. § 1520(c)(1).4 The import specialist denied the protests based on the perceived failure by Aviall to provide proper evidence of any real clerical error.5

Aviall raises two principal claims against Customs’ treatment of its merchandise. First, Aviall argues that it complied with 19 C.F.R. § 10.183 by filing a written, approved blanket certification as required by the regulation. The fact that this blanket certification expired does not result in a “missing document,” but merely results in the blanket certification on record being defective. Moreover, Aviall argues that this defect is curable by the terms of 19 U.S.C. §§ 1514, 1520(c)(1), and 19 C.F.R. § 10.112.6

Second, Aviall argues that the regulation, as interpreted, denies the statutory right of protest and the regulatory right to submit documents under 19 C.F.R. 10.112, and as such is invalid because it was not duly promulgated pursuant to the Federal Register Act. See 5 U.S.C. [729]*729§ 553(b)(3). Amicus curaie Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation supports Aviall’s position regarding Customs’ refusal to reliquidate the entries. Amicus curaie argues that 19 C.F.R. § 10.183 is invalid in part, and that late filing is permitted under 19 C.F.R. § 10.112 and 19 U.S.C. § 1514.

Customs responds that the protests were properly denied due to Aviall’s failure to provide proper evidence of clerical error. Customs asserts that the failure to renew the blanket certification was due to “negligent inaction” which could not be cured by the submission of entry-by-entry certifications dated after the time of entry. Customs further argues that the regulations found at 19 C.F.R. § 10.183 were a valid interpretation of congressional intent and that the regulations were duly promulgated.

Discussion

This case is before the Court on cross-motions for summary judgment. Under the rules of this Court, summary judgment is appropriate “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” USCIT R. 56(d). The Court will deny summary judgment if the parties present “a dispute about a fact such that a reasonable trier of fact could return a verdict against the movant.” Ugg Int’l, Inc. v. United States, 17 CIT 79, 83, 813 F. Supp. 848, 852 (1993) (quotation and citation omitted). “In assessing the parties’ claims, the Court must resolve all ambiguities and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the party opposing summary judgment.” Id.

This case does not present any genuine issue of material fact, certainly none of the facts are disputed, nor are there any claimed facts which would be enlarged upon or further explained by trial and cross-examination. The dispositive issues to be resolved are legal in nature. Because these issues are legal in nature, the Court concludes the parties’ conflict raises questions of law which the Court may properly resolve by summary judgment.

The Court begins its review by examining the underlying legality of 19 C.F.R. § 10.183.

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18 Ct. Int'l Trade 727, 861 F. Supp. 100, 18 C.I.T. 727, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 2014, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 150, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aviall-of-texas-inc-v-united-states-cit-1994.