Prescolite Mfgr. Corp. v. United States

58 Cust. Ct. 418, 269 F. Supp. 771, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2391
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedMay 16, 1967
DocketC.D. 3005
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 58 Cust. Ct. 418 (Prescolite Mfgr. Corp. 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
Prescolite Mfgr. Corp. v. United States, 58 Cust. Ct. 418, 269 F. Supp. 771, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2391 (cusc 1967).

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

The protest includes four separate entries of merchandise described on the invoices as wire retainers of types “O,” “U,” “V,” and “K” for the same respective type glasses. These glasses are also referred to in the invoices as globes which are not involved in this protest. The invoices state: “Wire retainers packed one with each globe.”

The collector of customs classified the glasses and wire retainers as entireties, as glass shades, and assessed duty thereon at 31 % per centum ad valorem under paragraph 218(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by Presidential Proclamation No. 3513 of December 28,1962, concerning agreements supplementary to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 98 Treas. Dec. 51, T.D. 55816, which reads so far as pertinent herein:

Illuminating articles of every description, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of glass, for use in connection with artificial illumination:
Globes and shades_ 31%% ad val.
Provided, That parts not specially provided for, wholly or in chief value of glass, of any of the foregoing shall be subject to_
The same rate of duty as the articles of which they are parts.

Prescolite Mfgr. Corp. is the actual importer. Mattoon & Co. is a customs broker. The protest claims that the wire retainers are properly dutiable at 15 per centum or 17% per centum under paragraph 353, as modified, infra, or at 19 per centum under paragraph 397, as modified, infra. As plaintiffs did not urge the claim under paragraph 353 at 17% per centum either at the trial or in their brief, that claim is deemed abandoned. The remaining claimed paragraphs are as follows:

Paragraph 353 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 51802:

Articles suitable for producing, rectifying, modifying, controlling, or distributing electrical energy * * *:
Other articles * * *_'_ 15% ad val.
[420]*420Parts, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of metal, not specially provided for, of articles provided for in any item 353 of this Part_
The same rate of duty as the articles of which they are parts.

Paragraph 397 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the Sixth Protocol of Supplementary Concessions to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T.D. 54108 :

Articles or wares not specially provided for, whether partly or wholly manufactured:
Not wholly or in chief value of tin or tin plate:
Other, composed wholly or in chief value of iron, steel, brass, bronze, zinc, or aluminum * * *_ 19% ad val.

Plaintiffs, at the trial and in their brief, claim relief only as to the wire retainers covered by the protest.

Defendant’s brief, page 2, states:

It is defendant’s position herein that the imported wire retainers and glasses constitute a complete article of commerce, to wit, a shade, in chief value of glass, and thus constitute an entirety for tariff purposes, properly classified as glass shades under paragraph 218(c), as modified.

The plaintiffs called William S. Smith as their sole witness and offered five exhibits in evidence. The defendant offered no evidence and did not cross-examine plaintiffs’ witness.

Mr. Smith testified in substance that he is employed by Prescolite Manufacturing Corp.; that the firm primarily designs, manufactures, and sells lighting fixtures to electrical distributors on a national basis throughout continental United States; that he serves his company as a design engineer, a plant engineer, and a special project engineer.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Prescolite Mfgr. Corp. v. United States
63 Cust. Ct. 228 (U.S. Customs Court, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
58 Cust. Ct. 418, 269 F. Supp. 771, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2391, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/prescolite-mfgr-corp-v-united-states-cusc-1967.