Jacob Kopnick

The U.S. on Sept. 10 opposed importer Interglobal Forest's bid for attorney's fees after it prevailed in an antidumping and countervailing duty evasion case. The government said Interglobal can't be considered a "prevailing party" because the court's decision sustaining CBP's remand decision reversing its evasion finding didn't "materially alter the legal relationship of the parties" (Interglobal Forest v. United States, CIT # 22-00240).

The following lawsuit was recently filed at the Court of International Trade:

Gal Haimovich, an Israeli national, pleaded guilty Sept. 9 to conspiracy to commit export control and smuggling violations for his part in a scheme to ship aircraft parts and avionics equipment from the U.S. to Russia, DOJ announced. Haimovich admitted to "deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue" and attempting to hide the scheme by submitting false information in export documents submitted to the U.S. government.

Indonesia opened a safeguard investigation Sept. 9 covering polyethylene containing 5% or less alpha-olefin monomers in other than liquid/paste form, it told the World Trade Organization Sept. 11. Parties wishing to submit comments on the proceeding should submit a written request to do so within 15 days from the date of initiation to the investigating authority, the Indonesian Safeguards Committee said.

China officially requested dispute consultations with Canada at the World Trade Organization Sept. 11 regarding Canada's upcoming tariffs on various Chinese goods (see 2409040007), including electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products, the WTO announced. If consultations have failed to settle the matter within 60 days, China can request a dispute panel.

The Court of International Trade on Sept. 11 granted a voluntary dismissal bid from conservation groups Sea Shepherd New Zealand and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in their action seeking an import ban on fish from New Zealand's West Coast North Island inshore trawl and inshore set net fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

The Court of International Trade on Sept. 11 granted the government's voluntary remand motion in a case on CBP's finding that importer Zinus evaded the antidumping duty order on wooden bedroom furniture from China. The government asked for the remand in light of the Commerce Department's scope ruling finding that Zinus' imported bedframes aren't covered by the AD order (Zinus v. United States, CIT # 23-00272).

Importer Plasticolor Molded Products on Sept. 10 dismissed its customs case on the classification of its automobile seat covers. CBP classified the goods under Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 8708.99.8180, dutiable at 2.5%, with Section 301 tariffs assessed under subheading 9903.88.03. Plasticolor said the goods fit under subheading 8708.99.8180, dutiable at 2.5%, but were excluded from Section 301 duties under subheading 9903.88.43. Counsel for Plasticolor declined to comment on the reason for the dismissal (Plasticolor Molded Products v. United States, CIT # 20-03822).

Monishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah, who owned jewelry companies in New York City , pleaded guilty Sept. 10 to leading a scheme to "illegally evade customs duties for more than $13.5 million of jewelry imports" into the U.S., the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced. Shah, a resident of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Mumbai, also admitted to illicitly processing over $10.3 million through an "unlicensed money transmitting business."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Sept. 10 updated its 2024-25 sessions calendar and adopted a new 2025-26 sessions calendar, the court announced. The calendars will see the court hear cases the first full week of each month. In December 2024 and January-May 2025, the court will sit for the entire first full week along with the following Monday.