Montemayor e Hijos v. United States

24 C.C.P.A. 7, 1936 CCPA LEXIS 145
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedApril 20, 1936
DocketNo. 3937
StatusPublished

This text of 24 C.C.P.A. 7 (Montemayor e Hijos 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
Montemayor e Hijos v. United States, 24 C.C.P.A. 7, 1936 CCPA LEXIS 145 (ccpa 1936).

Opinion

Graham, Presiding Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

Five entries of Mexican cattle hides were made at the port of Laredo, Tex., from June 29 to July 31, 1933, inclusive. The im[8]*8porters, as shown by tbe entries, were H. L. Spindle, F. Vizcaya, for J. A. Montemayor, F. Vizcaya, and F. Vizcaya* for R. J. Scarborough. Four of these entries covered green salted bides, while one, 28-L, covered three items, namely, dry beef bides, dry bull bides, and damaged dry beef bides. This entry is involved in reappraisement No. 106560-A, hereinafter referred to. Tbe entered values are given by appellants as follows:

Tbe goods involved m reappraisements 106559-A, 106561-A, 107338-A, and 107339-A were appraised by tbe local appraiser at tbe various amounts shown byothe above tabulation. More extended observations will be made hereinafter as to tbe appraisement in 106560-A. All appraisements were made by tbe local appraiser upon tbe basis of export value.

Tbe importers appealed to reappraisement. After consolidation of tbe causes for trial, considerable evidence was offered, including tbe testimony of Jose A. Montemayor, Francisco Vizcaya, and R. J. Scarborough, on behalf of tbe importers, and Garland H. Williams and A. F. Scharff, customs agents, on behalf of tbe Government. Tbe importers introduced, also, tbe affidavit of J. S. Farias, assistant manager of tbe Chamber of Commerce of Monterrey, Mexico, tbe joint affidavit of five Mexican citizens, Juan M. Garcia, Antonio Guerra, Juan M. Gonzalez, C. F. Montemayor, and Arnulfo S. Garza, and tbe joint affidavit of Jesus M. Saldana, Arnulfo S. Garza, and Juan M. Gonzalez. In addition, tbe Government offered in evidence three reports, one being made by Customs Agent Garland H. Williams, dated September 12, 1933, one by Acting Supervising Customs Agent Henry A. Norman, dated October 4,1933, and one by Customs Agents A. F. Scharff and Garland H. Williams, dated April 12, 1934.

Tbe matter came on to be heard before Judge Sullivan, who found that there was a foreign value for tbe imported goods, with no higher export value, and that tbe foreign value was less than tbe entered value, and that, therefore, tbe dutiable value was tbe entered value, in each instance.

Tbe Government applied for a review, and tbe matter was beard by tbe Third Division of tbe United States Customs Court. Tbe appellants moved “to dismiss tbe application for a review”, alleging that tbe Government bad not complied with rule 46 of tbe United States [9]*9Customs Court, by failing to file a brief statement in writing of the grounds of appeal. This motion was denied by the division. On December 27, 1934, the Government filed its assignment of errors, alleging fourteen errors. On December 26, 1934, the importers filed a motion to set aside the court’s order denying their former motion to dismiss, alleging that they had not had sufficient notice of the hearing thereon under the rules of the court. This motion, also, was denied. No errors have been assigned herein upon the action of the court in denying said motions, and no further attention need, therefore, be given the same.

The Third Division considered the case and has embodied its findings in an exhaustive opinion written by Evans, Judge. The first matter engaging the attention of the appellate division was the contention made by the importers that the assignment of errors filed by the Government was insufficient under rule 46 of said court. This assignment was as follows:

The Trial Judge below erred:
1. In finding and holding the dutiable value of the merchandise herein to be the entered values.
2. In finding the entered values of the merchandise herein to be the foreign value.
3. In finding a dutiable value for the merchandise herein based upon foreign value as provided for in Section 402 (c) of the Tariff Act of 1930.
4. In not sustaining the appraised values of the merchandise herein.
5. In not finding and holding that export value as defined in Section 402 (d) of the Tariff Act of 1930 was the proper dutiable value of the merchandise herein.
6. In not finding and holding that the expdrt value of the merchandise herein was the appraised values thereof.
7. In not finding and holding that there was an export value for the merchandise herein which export value was higher than the foreign value.
8. In entering judgment herein contrary to the record, the law, the evidence, or the weight of evidence.
9. In not finding and holding that the plaintiffs in the court below (appellees herein) failed to prove the foreign value of the merchandise.
10. In not finding and holding that the record sustained the appraised values (export value) of the merchandise herein.
11. In not giving sufficient consideration or wteight to the proof or evidence contained in Exhibit 9 admitted in evidence herein.
12. In admitting in evidence, over objection and exception, Exhibits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and Collective Exhibit 8 and giving probative value to the said exhibits.
13. In not finding and holding that the record herein failed to overcome the presumption of correctness of the appraiser’s action as provided under Section 501 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
14. In failing to dismiss the appeals to reappraisement herein because plaintiffs in the court below (appellees herein) failed to uphold their contention or claim by competent and sufficient legal proof.

Said rule 46 is as follows:

46. Assignment of Errors and Proposed Eindings in Reappraisements,
The appellant or his attorney in proceedings for review in reappraisement cases shall, not less than 15 days prior to the day on which the case is set for trial. [10]*10file with the clerk of the court, and serve upon the opposing party or his attorney, a brief statement in writing of the grounds of his appeal, setting forth in concise form any question of law which he considers the lower court may have decided erroneously, and if the appeal was taken on a question of fact, a brief statement of the facts upon which he contends the court erred.
Both parties shall, concurrently, not less than 5 days prior to the day the cause is called for hearing, file briefs (three copies of each) with the clerk of the court and serve a copy thereof upon the opposing party or his attorney.
Upon failure of the parties to comply with the foregoing rule, the court may in its discretion dismiss such appeal.
Oral argument may be made by either or both parties on such hearing. Such oral argument, if any, shall not be transcribed, unless otherwise ordered by the court.

In objecting to the sufficiency of the Government’s assignment of errors, the importers’ counsel called attention to the rules on that subject which have been adopted by the various United States Circuit Courts of Appeals, and cited authorities holding assignments to be deficient under such rules. As to this, the appellate division said, in part:

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24 C.C.P.A. 7, 1936 CCPA LEXIS 145, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/montemayor-e-hijos-v-united-states-ccpa-1936.