Mattel, Inc. v. United States

65 Cust. Ct. 616, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2967
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedDecember 18, 1970
DocketC.D. 4147
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 65 Cust. Ct. 616 (Mattel, 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
Mattel, Inc. v. United States, 65 Cust. Ct. 616, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2967 (cusc 1970).

Opinion

' Maletz, Judge:

This case involves the proper tariff classification of wigs for dolls that were imported from Japan in 1964. They were classified by the government under item 737.20 of the tariff schedules providing for “dolls, and parts of dolls including doll clothing,” and assessed with duty at the rate of 35 percent. Plaintiff protests this assessment and claims that the merchandise is properly classifiable under the provision for “wigs” in item 790.70, and thus dutiable at only 14 percent.

The provisions of the tariff schedules with which we are concerned read as follows:

General Headnotes and Rules of Interpretation
10. General Interpretative Rules.
% ifc Hí ❖ Hí H*
(ij) a provision for “parts” of an article covers a product solely or chiefly used as a part of such article, but does not prevail over a specific provision for such pa/rt. [Emphasis added.]
Schedule 7, Part 5
Subpart E. Models; Dolls, Toys, Tricks, Party Favors
Subpart E headnotes:
1. The articles described in the provisions of this subpart ((except parts') shall be classified in such provisions, whether or • not such articles are more specifically provided for elsewhere in the tariff schedules * * *. [Emphasis added.]
Classified under:
737.20 Dolls, and parts of dolls including doll clothing [emphasis added]-35% ad val.
[618]*618Claimed under:
790.70 Wigs, toupees, chignons, and similar articles- 14% ad val.
At the outset, it is to be noted that doll wigs substantially identical to those here were the subject of adjudication in Mattel, Inc. v. United States, 61 Cust. Ct. 75, 287 F. Supp. 999, C.D. 3531 (1968). In that case, the wigs were classified by the collector under item 737.20 as parts of dolls, while plaintiff claimed — as it does here — that the merchandise was properly classifiable under the eo nomine provision for “wigs” in item 790.70. At the trial, the government abandoned and repudiated the collector’s classification and claimed a new classification for the wigs under item 737.90 as “[t]oys, * * * not specially provided for * * * [o]ther,” dutiable at 35 percent. In addition, the government entered into a stipulation with plaintiff in which it “concede[d] that the articles described as wigs on the invoices are, in fact, wigs, and are described in item 790.70.” Since the wigs were thus stipulated to be “wigs” of the type described in item 790.70, if the record established that they were “parts” of dolls, then general interpretative rule 10 (ij) and headnote 1 of schedule 7, part 5, subpart E required that the specific provision for wigs in item 790.70 prevail over the “parts” provision. Hence, the single issue in the prior case was whether the wigs were “parts” of dolls, as contended by plaintiff, or mere accessories, as contended by the government. And on that issue, the court held that the wigs were “parts” of dolls and were therefore, by virtue of rule 10(ij). and headnote 1, supra, properly classifiable under item 790.70 as “wigs.”
In the present case, there is no dispute that the imported doll wigs are “parts” of dolls.1 The issue, rather, is whether or not the importations are “wigs” within the meaning of item 790.70 — which issue (■as we have seen) was stipulated by the defendant in the prior case.2
On this aspect, plaintiff’s position is that the imported doll wigs are included in the common meaning of the term “wigs” as used in item 790.70, while defendant’s position is that the term includes only wigs for human wear, and does not include wigs for other than ■human wear, such as wigs for dolls and wigs for mannequins. For the reasons that follow, we agree with plaintiff and hold that the imported wigs are included in the common meaning of the term “wigs” as used in item 790.70.

[619]*619We start with the basic principle that tariff laws are written in the language of commerce, and that the commercial meaning of tariff terms is presumed to be the same as their common meaning in the absence of a showing that there is a contrary commercial designation. Neither party has asserted a commercial designation for the term “wigs” which is different from the common meaning and hence commercial designation is not an issue in this case. Thus, the meaning of the term “wigs” is controlled by the common meaning of the term. And this common meaning is, of course, “a matter of law to be determined by the court, for which purpose the court may consult dictionaries and other authorities, may receive the 'testimony of witnesses, which is advisory only, and may rely upon its own knowledge.” Norbert Stryer v. United States, 62 Cust. Ct. 598, 602, C.D. 3831 (1969).

Against this background, the evidence establishes without contradiction that the imported wigs are universally bought, sold and known as “wigs,” and that more often than not when the term “wigs” is used with reference to the imported wigs, it is accompanied by descriptive words or phrases such as “for dolls.” Thus, the only witness called by the government in the second trial testified on direct examination (R. 300-01) :

Q. During the 40 years that you have been in business, have you sold your wigs for other than human wear ?
A. We have manufactured, but that’s on special order, doll wigs * *
Q. Were those wigs for dolls constructed in a different fashion ?
A. No, they weren’t constructed in a different way. * * * [Emphasis added.]

Clearly this witness understood the term “wigs” to include “doll wigs.” Similarly, a government witness who testified at the first trial was certain that the wigs in question are commonly known as “wigs.”

Q. Is it [a sample of the wigs in question] known as a wig in your trade?
A. It is known as a wig, yes, sir. [R, 107]

The testimony of the other witnesses is even more definite. They were unanimous that wigs for dolls or mannequins3 were and are commonly known as “wigs”; that they had never used or heard anyone else nse [620]*620any term other than “wig” to describe them; and that they were and are included within the dictionary definitions of “wig.” Illustrative of such testimony is the following:

James Albert White (E. 164,169)
Q. By what name do you refer to wigs for dolls ?
A. A wig.
Q. Have you ever heard or known of anyone referring to them by any other name ?
A. No.
***** * *
Q. In your opinion * * * do the dictionary definitions of “wig,” cover wigs for dolls ?
A. Yes.
Allen Stanley Swartz (E. 188-89)
Q.

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Bluebook (online)
65 Cust. Ct. 616, 1970 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2967, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mattel-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1970.