Dart Export Corp. v. United States

43 C.C.P.A. 64, 1956 CCPA LEXIS 163
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedFebruary 21, 1956
DocketNo. 4836
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 43 C.C.P.A. 64 (Dart Export Corp. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dart Export Corp. v. United States, 43 C.C.P.A. 64, 1956 CCPA LEXIS 163 (ccpa 1956).

Opinion

Johnson, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

This is an appeal from the judgment of the United States Customs. Court, Second Division, entered pursuant to its decision, Abstract 58434, overruling the protests filed by appellant, Dart Export Corp.,. which were to the effect that the acceptance by the Collector of Customs of the estimated duties at the time of entry on an importation of “perlón artificial gut” constituted a decision of the collector which was conclusive on the Government after the passage of sixty days,, under section 514 of the Tariff Act of 1930, and that a liquidation made after this time period had elapsed was illegal.

The Customs Court held that the action of the Collector of Customs, in liquidating the entry more than 60 days after the estimated duties were paid, did not constitute an illegal act. The qustion before this, court in its broadest aspect, is whether the Customs Court was correct', in so holding.

It appears from the record that the importer, prior to the date of entry, was desirous of finding out the exact classification of the merchandise which was to be imported. Samples which were received from a German exporter, were sent by the importer to the Bureau of' Customs in Washington, and a request was made for the classification of the merchandise. The Bureau, in a letter dated February 8, 1951,. replied that it was of “the opinion that this merchandise is dutiable at-the rate of 20 per cent ad valorem under paragraph 1558, Tariff Act [66]*66of 1930, as non-enumerated, manufactured articles.” The merchandise, also known as “nylon monofilament,” was thereafter entered for consumption on July 27, 1951. On the entry papers it was indicated by the importer that the merchandise was dutiable at 20 per centum ad valorem, in accordance with the information received by the importer from the Bureau of Customs, and the duty was paid at this rate at the time of entry.

The record discloses that the importation in question was promptly taken to the appraiser. On August 2, 1951, the merchandise was released to the importer, and a “Customs Form 6431” was sent to the Customs Information Exchange in New York. In this respect, the following testimony of Michel T. Blouin, Examiner of Merchandise •at the Port of New Orleans, as examined by appellant’s counsel, seems particularly applicable in that it describes the sequence of events which occurred, and the reasons why various steps were taken:

*:};***:£#
/By Mr. Dart:
Q. After August 2, 1951, Mr. Blouin, what action did your office take?
A. We submitted Customs Form 6431 to the Customs Information Exchange as ■to whether the merchandise was correctly invoiced as to the value, or whether any other shipment had been received at any other port of such merchandise.
Q. What was the date of that report? A. 6431 was the same date of examination, August 2, 1951.
Q. When did you receive a reply from the C. I. E. in answer to that form?
A. The reply we received April 29, 1952.
Q. What was the nature of the reply? A. There was a delay notice in between ■that time. The New York Appraiser asked whether or not I knew the manu■facturer of the merchandise, and I was in touch with your office, I guess with yourself, and you stated you did not know the manufacturer, and on February 18th, I sent — ■
Mr. Kozinn: [Government Attorney] What year?
The Witness: February 18, 1952, I sent a follow up notice to New York, not having heard a reply from my 6431. A reply was received on April 29, 1952.
T3y Mr. Dart:
Q. On April 29, 1952, what did the C. I. E. advise? A. “No record of shipment of these items in New York. Shipment through San Francisco; date of ■exportation 9/16/51. Regarding classification, in view of C. D. 1366, this office on the date of 1/17/52 requested Bureau ruling. Classification is suspended pending such ruling.”
Q. When was the Bureau ruling received by you? A. The Bureau ruling was received on May 19, 1952, C. I. E. 172/52.
Q. What was the substance of that ruling? A. Do you want me to read it?
Q. In general what did it say? A. It goes along to say how they classified the different types of nylon filament under paragraph 1301 and 1312.
Q. What rate of duty? What rate of duty did the Bureau rule that this material was dutiable at? A. It doesn’t give the rate of duty in the C. I. E. circular. It gives the paragraph, and the rate of duty based upon deniers. That is under paragraph 1301. Then there was an ad valorem duty under 1312.
[67]*67Q. After receiving that Bureau report, what action did your office take?
A. During the month of March, 1952, we issued a delay notice. This was to ascertain from the importer whether or not he had an exclusive sales right.
Q. That was prior to May. You said the Bureau ruling was received on May 19, 1952. All I want to know is what happened after that date insofar as your office was concerned? When did you make your report to the Collector? A. Before I could return the monofilament at 1301, I discovered that we hadn’t extracted a sample from each type, and I requested you to furnish me a sample from the original shipment, whatever sample you did have at the time. Then that was submitted to the Customs Laboratory for ascertaining the denier. The laboratory report was returned to me — it was dated November 26, 1952. There is no date shown as to the date it was received at the Appraiser’s. Usually it is-received one or two days after the chemist makes the report.
Mr. Kozinn: What was the date of the chemist’s report?
The Witness: November 26, 1952.
By Mr. Dart:
Q. When did you request me to furnish- you with a sample? A. Your letter was dated November 21, 1952.
Q. That was the date of my reply to your request. When did you request it? A. I am not sure whether it was a verbal request or a written request. There-is no record showing a written request. ,
Mr. Kozinn; Mr. Dart, do you concede that a request was made?
Mr. Dart: Yes. I am simply trying to show it wasn’t due to any unnecessary delay on my part. ...
By Mr. Dart:
Q. Do you remember approximately how long before I furnished the sample? Did I delay unreasonably? .A. No, I don’t think there was any delay.
Q. Then you reported to the Collector when? A. The merchandise was. appraised and forwarded to the Collector on December 2, 1952.
Mr. Dart: No further questions.
CROSS EXAMINATION
By Mr. Kozinn:
XQ. When you take a sample from a case and send your 6431 out to the-.C. I. E., for what purpose is this done? A. Well, for classification purpose is one reason, and the other for value.
XQ.

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Bluebook (online)
43 C.C.P.A. 64, 1956 CCPA LEXIS 163, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dart-export-corp-v-united-states-ccpa-1956.