United States v. Shabahang Persian Carpets, Ltd.

21 Ct. Int'l Trade 360, 963 F. Supp. 1207, 21 C.I.T. 360, 19 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1480, 1997 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 42
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedApril 10, 1997
DocketCourt No. 96-05-01472
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 21 Ct. Int'l Trade 360 (United States v. Shabahang Persian Carpets, Ltd.) 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
United States v. Shabahang Persian Carpets, Ltd., 21 Ct. Int'l Trade 360, 963 F. Supp. 1207, 21 C.I.T. 360, 19 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1480, 1997 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 42 (cit 1997).

Opinion

Opinion

Goldberg, Judge:

This matter comes before the Court on plaintiffs motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff, the United States Customs Service (“Customs”), seeks summary judgment to dismiss a counterclaim filed by Shabahang Persian Carpets, Ltd. (“Shabahang”). The original action, initiated by Customs, involves the recovery of penalties and duties relating to carpets that successfully entered the United States between March 6, 1984 and November 4, 1987. Shabahang’s counterclaim involves carpets that Shabahang attempted to import, but were denied entry pursuant to Executive Order No. 12613, which imposed an embargo on imports from Iran after October 29, 1987.152 Fed. Reg. 41,940 (1987). The counterclaim alleges that Customs effected an unlawful taking under the Fifth Amendment when it denied the entry of the carpets into the United States.

In its summary judgment motion, Customs contends that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction under both 28 U.S.C. § 1583 (1994) and 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3) (1994). In the alternative, Customs argues that even if the Court does possess jurisdiction, the action is still time barred and fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. In response, Shabahang contends that its counterclaim is not time barred because it constitutes either a “setoff” or “recoupment.”

Although the Court finds that it has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3), the Court dismisses plaintiffs counterclaim because Shabahang failed to file an action within the time period set forth in the statute of limitations. The Court also determines that Shaba-hang’s defenses, that the counterclaim constitutes either a “setoff” or a “recoupment,” lack merit. The Court does not reach the issue of whether Shabahang’s action states a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Standard of Review

When faced with a motion for summary judgment, the Court determines whether a case presents any genuine issues of material fact. An[361]*361derson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-48 (1986). If a case presents no such issues, and a moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law, then the Court may grant summary judgment. USCIT Rule 56(d).

Since this matter is before the Court on a motion for summary judgment, and it presents no genuine issues of material fact in dispute, granting summary judgment is appropriate.

Discussion

A. Subject Matter Jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1583:

Shabahang filed its action as a counterclaim in an existing case. The Court finds that the claim does not come within its counterclaim jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1583.

28 U.S.C. § 1583 provides two bases for counterclaim jurisdiction. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1583, a counterclaim can be filed if (1) the claim involves the imported merchandise that is the subject matter of a pending civil action, or (2) the counterclaim involves recovery upon a bond or customs duties.

With respect to the first basis for jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1583, Shabahang fails to establish this Court’s counterclaim jurisdiction because its counterclaim does not involve merchandise that is the subject of a pending civil action. Rather, the counterclaim involves a different stream of goods than the imported goods that are the subject of Customs’ pending civil action.

Furthermore, Shabahang’s counterclaim does not involve imported merchandise. Rather, the counterclaim involves goods that were never imported because of the U.S. embargo.

With respect to the second basis for jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1583, Shabahang fails to establish the Court’s counterclaim jurisdiction because its claim does not involve recovery upon a bond or customs duties.

Furthermore, because Customs’ claim and Shabahang’s counterclaim raise unrelated legal issues, the rationale underlying the Court’s jurisdiction to hear counterclaims does not apply in the present case. See Eastalco Aluminum Co. v. United States, 14 CIT 724, 727-31, 750 F. Supp. 1135, 1138-41 (1990) (discussing the Court’s counterclaim jurisdiction) . Customs ’ tariff recovery and penalty claims involve traditional customs classification and regulatory law. In contrast, Shabahang’s claim raises a takings under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. The claims do not involve similar issues; hearing Shabahang’s action as a counterclaim is inappropriate.

The Court does not have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1583. The Court now discusses its jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3).

B. Subject Matter Jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3):

The Court possesses subject matter jurisdiction over cases involving “embargoes or other quantitative restrictions on the importation of [362]*362merchandise for reasons other than the protection of the public health or safety.” 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3).

Because Shabahang’s claim involves goods that were prevented from entering the United States due to an embargo, the claim comes within the plain language of 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3).

As discussed above, Shabahang erred by filing this action as a counterclaim in an existing case. Shabahang should have brought this matter as a separate action under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3). However, the Court does not view this as fatal to Shabahang’s claim. Rather, if Shabahang’s claim were to survive this summary judgment motion, the procedural defect could be cured by granting leave to file a separate action under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(3).

C. Statute of Limitations under 28 U.S.C. § 2636(i):

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21 Ct. Int'l Trade 360, 963 F. Supp. 1207, 21 C.I.T. 360, 19 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1480, 1997 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 42, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-shabahang-persian-carpets-ltd-cit-1997.