Legal Definitions - International Trade Court

The term International Trade Court commonly refers to the United States Court of International Trade.

The United States Court of International Trade is a specialized federal court in the United States. Its primary role is to hear legal disputes concerning international trade and customs laws. This includes cases involving import transactions, tariffs, customs duties, and other actions taken by the U.S. government related to international trade. Individuals, businesses, and even the U.S. government can bring cases before this court to challenge or defend decisions made under federal trade laws.

Here are some examples of situations where the United States Court of International Trade would be involved:

• Example 1: Challenging Import Duties

  A U.S. company that imports specialized electronic components from overseas believes that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has incorrectly classified their goods, leading to a higher import duty than legally required. After exhausting administrative appeals with Customs, the company decides to file a lawsuit to challenge the classification and the resulting duties. This case would be heard by the United States Court of International Trade because it directly involves the application and interpretation of U.S. customs laws and tariffs on imported goods.

• Example 2: Dispute Over Anti-Dumping Measures

  A foreign manufacturer of steel products is accused by the U.S. Department of Commerce of "dumping" its products in the U.S. market—selling them at unfairly low prices. As a result, the Department of Commerce imposes significant anti-dumping duties on these steel imports. The foreign manufacturer believes the Department's investigation was flawed and its determination of dumping was incorrect. To contest these duties, the manufacturer would bring their case before the United States Court of International Trade, as it has jurisdiction over challenges to anti-dumping and countervailing duty decisions.

• Example 3: Protest of Customs Valuation

  An American clothing retailer imports a large shipment of apparel. U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines that the declared value of the imported clothing is too low and reassesses the value, which increases the amount of customs duties the retailer owes. The retailer disputes this valuation, arguing that their declared value was accurate according to legal valuation methods. After their internal protest to Customs is denied, the retailer can appeal this decision to the United States Court of International Trade to seek a judicial review of the customs valuation.