Heraeus-Amersil, Inc. v. United States

11 Ct. Int'l Trade 262
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedApril 6, 1987
DocketCourt No. 87-03-00537
StatusPublished

This text of 11 Ct. Int'l Trade 262 (Heraeus-Amersil, 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
Heraeus-Amersil, Inc. v. United States, 11 Ct. Int'l Trade 262 (cit 1987).

Opinion

Memorandum Opinion and Order

Carman, Judge:

Plaintiff Heraeus-Amersil (Heraeus) moves for a preliminary injunction, enjoining Defendants United States and the Commissioner of Customs, William Von Rabb, (Customs) from requiring entry or liquidation, or from reliquidating any entry of Her-aeus’ non-optical types of fused quartz/silica merchandise under item 540.67, of the Tariff Schedules of the United States, (TSUS). Apparently, Customs informed Heraeus, by communications from an import specialist, it intended to classify and reliquidate this merchandise under item 540.67, TSUS; this merchandise was liquidated prior to this notification, under item 540.41, TSUS, at a lower rate of duty.

Defendants (Government) oppose Heraeus’ motion and cross move to dismiss this action for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction.

Heraeus’ motion for preliminary injunction is dismissed and Government’s cross motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction is granted.

Background

Heraeus filed its complaint, application for a temporary restraining order, and motion for preliminary injunction in this action on March 16, 1987. Heraeus commenced this action under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i) and seeks to enjoin Customs from requiring entry or liquidation, or from reliquidating any entry of Heraeus’ non-optical types of fused quartz/fused silica merchandise under item 540.67, TSUS. This classification results in requiring Heraeus to submit a payment of duties higher than was previously required from Her-aeus when this merchandise was classified and entered by Customs under item 540.41, TSUS. Heraeus filed this action upon being informed by Customs of this change in duty.

Senior Judge Newman, upon consideration, after the temporary restraining order hearings held on March 16 and 20, 1987, denied the request for the temporary restraining order and set a hearing date of March 27, 1987 for the preliminary injunction motion.

At the hearing, the Court permitted Heraeus to orally amend its complaint to include as an additional party to the original Defendant United States, William Von Rabb, the Commissioner of Customs. Heraeus amended its complaint upon Government raising the issue the "United States” cannot be enjoined, citing United States v. Jones, 131 U.S. 1 (1889); Lynn v. United States, 110 F.2d 586, (5th Cir. 1940), and pointing out individual agents or employees of the [264]*264United States must be named and joined as parties in suits against the United States. Government’s Response to Plaintiffs Motion at 1.

Heraeus is a manufacturer and importer of fused quartz/silica and represents it is the world’s largest manufacturer of these products which include both optical and non-optical grade goods. It is only the non-optical grades which are the subject of this proceeding. Plaintiff asserts it has imported this non-optical grade type merchandise (merchandise) for a period of nearly forty years. Apparently, during the last twenty years it had imported this merchandise primarily through the Customs ports of New York and Newark. Within the last two years it has also imported the merchandise through the port of Atlanta.

During these twenty odd years, Heraeus asserts, various Customs officials responsible for entry of this merchandise have uniformly classified and liquidated this merchandise, imported in the form of rods and tubes, under item 540.41, TSUS. Heraeus contends it can document every entry of this merchandise, apparently as many as 500, from 1977 to the present which was entered and liquidated in this manner. Heraeus points out it has requested Customs officials in the offices of the National Import Specialist at New York and Savannah to refer the question of the existence of an established and uniform practice in classification of the merchandise to Customs headquarters and defer any liquidation or reliquidation of Heraeus’ entries of merchandise under item 540.67, TSUS, until the Secretary of the Treasury or his authorized delegate at Customs headquarters can rule on the issue of the uniform practice. This request has apparently been refused.

Heraeus further points out it has obtained a nonbinding Customs ruling which concerns the primary type of merchandise at issue and confirms a tariff classification under item 540.41, TSUS, is the correct classification for the Heraeus merchandise. This nonbinding ruling was apparently obtained several years ago although the ruling itself does not appear to be dated.

Government contends the Court should not exercise jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(f)1 since Heraeus has an adequate remedy at law to challenge any liquidations or reliquidations of its merchandise by invoking the jurisdiction of the Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. [265]*265§ 1581(a).2 Furthermore, asserts Government, Heraeus has failed to demonstrate any of the elements necessary to justify the issuance of a preliminary injunction.

Discussion

Initially, the Court must examine whether or not it can properly assert jurisdiction. Heraeus claims it can prove with hundreds of documented entries there has been an established and uniform practice which has extended for at least twenty years. It has also introduced a nonbinding ruling from Customs which it asserts confirms the existence of that practice.

Nevertheless, Senior Judge Newman, the motion part judge, denied Heraeus’ application for a temporary restraining order. The Judge aptly addressed the matter as follows:

Plaintiff has an adequate remedy under 19 U.S.C. §§ 1514(a)(2), 1514(a)(5), and 1515, in accordance with this court’s jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a), for any injury suffered by plaintiff that would be caused by any liquidations or reliquidations of plaintiffs entries under item 540.67, TSUS without compliance with the requirements of 19 U.S.C. § 1315(d) and the provisions of 19 C.F.R. § 177.10 * * *.

Order of March 20, 1987 of Senior Judge Newman denying temporary restraining order at Paragraph 3.

This Court holds Heraeus has an adequate remedy pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) and because that remedy is not manifestly inadequate, the Court should decline to exercise its jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i). United States v. Uniroyal, Inc., 69 CCPA 179, 687 F.2d 467 (1982);

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Related

Lynn v. United States
110 F.2d 586 (Fifth Circuit, 1940)
Lowa, Ltd. v. United States
561 F. Supp. 441 (Court of International Trade, 1983)
S. J. Stile Associates Ltd. v. Snyder
505 F. Supp. 1122 (Court of International Trade, 1981)
Heraeus-Amersil, Inc. v. United States
617 F. Supp. 89 (Court of International Trade, 1985)
Heraeus-Amersil, Inc. v. United States
600 F. Supp. 221 (Court of International Trade, 1984)
S. J. Stile Associates Ltd. v. Snyder
646 F.2d 522 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1981)
United States v. Uniroyal, Inc.
687 F.2d 467 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1982)
Lowa, Ltd. v. United States
724 F.2d 121 (Federal Circuit, 1984)

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Bluebook (online)
11 Ct. Int'l Trade 262, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heraeus-amersil-inc-v-united-states-cit-1987.