Jack Bryan, Inc. v. United States

80 Cust. Ct. 169, 1978 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1022
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJune 15, 1978
DocketC.D. 4752; Court No. 76-2-00498
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 80 Cust. Ct. 169 (Jack Bryan, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jack Bryan, Inc. v. United States, 80 Cust. Ct. 169, 1978 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1022 (cusc 1978).

Opinion

Ford, Judge:

This action contests the basis of appraisement and appraised value of certain beaded parts of women’s wearing apparel invoiced as style Nos. 750, 1024, 8042X, 8062, 8065, 8067, 8081, 9003 and 9502. Appraisement was made on the basis of constructed value as defined in section 402(d), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956, T.D. 54165. The value found by customs for the merchandise was the invoice unit values, plus 64.89 percent, net packed.

It is the position of plaintiff that the merchandise is subject to appraisement on the basis of export value as defined in section 402(b), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, supra, and the proper dutiable value is the invoiced unit values, net packed. The statutory provisions of section 402, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, supra, covering the merchandise involved provide as follows:

(b) Export Value. — For the purposes of this section, the export value of imported merchandise shall be the price, at the time of exportation to the United States of the merchandise undergoing appraisement, at which such or similar merchandise is freely sold or, in the absence of sales, offered for sale in the principal markets of the country of exportation, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade, for exportation to the United States, plus, when not included in such price, the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature and all [171]*171other expenses incidental to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.
* * * * * * *
(d) Constructed Value. — For the purposes of this section, the constructed value of imported merchandise shall be the sum of—
(1) the cost of materials (exclusive of any internal tax applicable in the country of exportation directly to such materials or their disposition, but remitted or refunded upon the exportation of the article in the production of which such materials are used) and of fabrication or other processing of any kind employed in producing such or similar merchandise, at a time preceding the date of exportation of the merchandise undergoing appraisement which would ordinarily permit the production of that particular merchandise in the ordinary course of business;
(2) an amount for general expenses and profit equal to that usually reflected in sales of merchandise of the same general class or kind as the merchandise undergoing appraisement which are made by producers in the country of exportation, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade, for shipment to the United States; and
(3) the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature, and all other expenses incidental to placing the merchandise undergoing appraisement in condition, packed read}' for shipment to the United States.
* * * * * * *
(f) Definitions. — For the purposes of this section—
(1) The term “freely sold or, in the absence of sales, offered for sale” means sold or, in the absence of sales, offered—
(A) to all purchasers at wholesale, or
(B) in the ordinary course of trade to one. or more selected purchasers at wholesale at a price which fairly reflects the market value of the merchandise,
without restrictions as to the disposition or use of the merchandise by the purchaser, except restrictions as to such disposition or use which (i) are imposed or required by law, (ii) limit, the price at which or the territory in which, the merchandise may be resold, or (iii) do not substantially ■affect the value of the merchandise to usual purchasers at wholesale.
(2) The term “ordinary course of trade” means the conditions and practices which, for a reasonable time prior, to the exportation of the merchandise undergoing appraisement, have been normal in the trade under consideration with respect to merchandise of the same class or kind as the merchandise undergoing appraisement.
He * * * * * *
(4) The term “such or similar merchandise” means merchandise in the first of the following categories in respect of which export value, United States value, or [172]*172constructed value, as the case may be, can be satisfactorily determined:
(A) The merchandise undergoing appraisement and other merchandise which is identical in physical characteristics with, and was produced in the same country by the same person as, the merchandise undergoing appraisement.
(B) Merchandise which is identical in physical characteristics with, and was produced by another person in the same country as, the merchandise undergoing appraisement.
(C) Merchandise (i) produced in the same country and by the same person as the merchandise undergoing appraisement, (ii) like the merchandise undergoing appraisement in component material or materials and in the purposes for which used, and (iii) approximately equal in commercial value to the merchandise undergoing appraisement.
(D) Merchandise which satisfied all the requirements, of subdivision (C) except that it was produced by another person.

The only witness whose testimony was adduced at the trial was-Jack Bryan who testified on behalf of the importer. Mr. Bryan is also-the owner of the manufacturer, Hung Crafts Company of Hong Kong. In addition, there were received in evidence on behalf of plaintiff nine exhibits and defendant introduced three exhibits. The official papers were also received as an exhibit, without being marked.

The action of Customs in appraising the involved merchandise on the basis of constructed value at the invoiced unit values, plus 64.89 percent, net packed, is presumed to be correct. 28 U.S.C. 2635(a). The burden placed upon plaintiff in challenging this presumption is twofold. Plaintiff must establish by competent evidence that the appraisement is erroneous and affirmatively establish the correct basis and value.

Plaintiff may meet this dual burden by establishing all the elements of export value and the proper dutiable values. This, in effect, would overcome the presumption attaching to the appraisement on the basis-of constructed value in view of the statutory preference of export value-over constructed value as set forth in section 402(a) (1) (3) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, supra. Majestic Electronics, Inc. v. United States, 63 Cust. Ct. 628, R.D. 11686 (1969).

Alternatively, plaintiff may establish the appraisement to be erroneous and then go forward and establish the correct basis and dutiable value. Plaintiff has chosen this method by the introduction, as plaintiff’s exhibit 1, of interrogatories issued pursuant to rule 6.3 of the rules of this court, in an effort to establish how Customs arrived at its appraisement.

[173]*173The following questions and answers .are contained in exhibit 1:

1. Q.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
80 Cust. Ct. 169, 1978 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1022, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jack-bryan-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1978.