United States Court of International Trade

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy datesTemplate:Coord Template:Infobox U.S. federal court The United States Court of International Trade (case citations: Ct. Int'l Trade), or CIT,[1] is a U.S. federal court that adjudicates civil actions arising out of U.S. customs and international trade laws.[2] Seated in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the court exercises broad jurisdiction over most trade-related matters and is permitted to hear and adjudicate cases originating anywhere in the United States as well as internationally.[3]

The court originated with the Customs Administrative Act of 1890, which established the Board of General Appraisers as a quasi-judicial entity of the U.S. Treasury Department to hear disputes primarily concerning tariffs and import duties.[4] In 1926, Congress replaced the Board with the United States Customs Court, an administrative tribunal with greater judicial functions, which in 1930 was made independent of the Treasury Department. In 1956, the U.S. Customs Court was reconstituted by Congress as an Article III tribunal, giving it the status and privileges of a federal court. The Customs Courts Act of 1980 established the U.S. Court of International Trade in its current form, granting it jurisdiction over all trade matters and conferring its judges with life tenure.[4]

The court's subject matter jurisdiction is limited to particular questions in international trade and customs law, though it may also decide any civil action against the U.S. government, its officers, or its agencies arising out of any law connected to international trade. As an Article III tribunal, the U.S. Court of International Trade can decide controversies in both law and equity, and is thus allowed to grant relief in virtually all means available, including money judgments, writs of mandamus, and preliminary or permanent injunctions.

Led by a chief judge, the CIT is composed of nine judges appointed by the U.S. president and confirmed by the Senate. No more than five judges can be of the same political party.[5] Cases are typically heard by just one judge, although trials involving potential constitutional issues or broad legal implications for customs laws may be decided by a three-judge panel.[6] The court operates on procedures and protocols drawn heavily from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

History

In 1890, the United States Congress passed legislation creating the Board of General Appraisers, a quasi-judicial administrative unit within the United States Department of the Treasury. The Board had nine members appointed by the President of the United States and empowered to review decisions of United States Customs officials concerning the amount of duties to be paid on importations.[7]

In 1926, Congress responded to the increasing number and complexity of customs cases by replacing the Board of General Appraisers with the United States Customs Court, an independent Article I tribunal, retaining the jurisdiction and powers of the Board of General Appraisers. In 1928, the United States Customs Court became the first federal tribunal in the United States to have a woman judge,[8] when President Calvin Coolidge nominated Genevieve R. Cline to the court.[9] Although many members of the United States Senate objected to Cline's appointment, both because of her sex, and because they believed she was self-taught and had no judicial experience, her supporters advocated strongly for her, including Katherine Pike, president of the National Association of Women Lawyers and a number of club-women. Cline won U.S. Senate confirmation on May 25, 1928, received her commission on May 26, 1928, and took her oath of office in the Cleveland Federal Building on June 5, 1928.[10]

On July 14, 1956, Congress made the United States Customs Court an Article III tribunal, again without changing its jurisdiction, powers, or procedures.[11] After making some procedural changes in the Customs Courts Act of 1970, Congress addressed substantive issues concerning the court's jurisdiction and remedial powers in the Customs Courts Act of 1980, which broadened the power of the court and renamed it the United States Court of International Trade.[7]

On May 28, 2025, a three-judge panel of the court ruled in V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify sweeping tariff hikes under his Liberation Day trade policy. The court held that the IEEPA does not grant presidents the power to impose such broad import taxes. The judges also struck down a separate set of tariffs the Trump administration had levied on China, Mexico, and Canada, which had been justified as a response to drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The court found that these measures exceeded executive authority.[12][13]

Courthouse

File:United States Court of International Trade (48126614652).jpg
The James L. Watson Court of International Trade Building on Foley Square

The James L. Watson Court of International Trade Building, located on Foley Square in lower Manhattan in New York City, houses the court. Also known as 1 Federal Plaza, it was built in 1968 adjacent to the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building.[14] In 2003, the building was named in honor of James L. Watson, a judge of the United States Customs Court from 1964 to 1980, and of the Court of International Trade from 1980 to 2001.[15]

Jurisdiction

The court possesses limited subject matter jurisdiction, meaning that it may hear only cases involving particular international trade and customs law questions. For example, the court hears disputes such as those involving protests filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, decisions regarding Trade Adjustment Assistance by the United States Department of Labor or United States Department of Agriculture, customs broker licensing, and disputes relating to determinations made by the United States International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration regarding anti-dumping and countervailing duties.[16]

There is one notable exception to the court's jurisdiction. In cases involving antidumping and countervailing duties imposed on Canadian or Mexican merchandise, an interested party can request that the case be heard before a special ad hoc binational panel organized under Chapter 19 of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement.

Procedure

Most cases are heard by a single judge. If a case challenges the constitutionality of a U.S. law or has important implications regarding the administration or interpretation of the customs laws, then it may be heard by a three-judge panel. Many Judges of the Court of International Trade also regularly sit by designation on three-judge panels of the United States courts of appeals.[7]

Although the Court maintains its own rules of procedure, they are patterned for the most part on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The court has held that decisions interpreting the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are "instructive" in interpreting its own rules.[7]

Current composition of the court

Template:As of:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
24 Chief Judge Mark A. Barnett New York City 1963 2013–present[Note 1] 2021–present — Obama
25 Judge Claire R. Kelly New York City 1965 2013–present — — Obama
26 Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves New York City 1969 2016–present — — Obama
27 Judge Gary Katzmann New York City 1953 2016–present — — Obama
28 Judge Timothy M. Reif New York City 1959 2019–present — — Trump
29 Judge M. Miller Baker New York City 1962 2019–present — — Trump
30 Judge Stephen Vaden New York City 1982 2020–present — — Trump
31 Judge Lisa Wang New York City 1980 2024–present — — Biden
32 Judge Joseph A. Laroski New York City 1971 2024–present — — Biden
11 Senior Judge Jane A. Restani New York City 1948 1983–2015 2003–2010 2015–present Reagan
13 Senior Judge Thomas J. Aquilino New York City 1939 1985–2004 — 2004–present Reagan
19 Senior Judge Judith Barzilay inactive 1944 1998–2011 — 2011–present Clinton
20 Senior Judge Delissa A. Ridgway inactive 1955 1998–2019 — 2019–present Clinton
21 Senior Judge Richard K. Eaton New York City 1948 1999–2014 — 2014–present Clinton
22 Senior Judge Timothy C. Stanceu New York City 1951 2003–2021 2014–2021 2021–present G.W. Bush
23 Senior Judge Leo M. Gordon New York City 1952 2006–2019 — 2019–present G.W. Bush

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Template:Reflist

Former judges of the United States Court of International Trade

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
— Template:Sortname NY 1909–1995 — — 1980–1995[Note 2] Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
1 Template:Sortname NY 1899–1988 1980–1988[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
2 Template:Sortname NY 1911–1992 1980–1985[Note 2] — 1985–1992 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
3 Template:Sortname NY 1912–1982 1980–1982[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
4 Template:Sortname NY 1912–1990 1980–1983[Note 2] — 1983–1990 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
5 Template:Sortname NY 1922–2001 1980–1991[Note 2] — 1991–2001 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
6 Template:Sortname NY 1913–2002 1980–1982[Note 2] — 1982–2002 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
7 Template:Sortname NY 1907–1999 1980–1983[Note 2] — 1983–1999 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
8 Template:Sortname NY 1920–2006 1980–1991[Note 2] 1980–1991 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
9 Template:Sortname NY 1913–1992 1980–1984[Note 2] — 1984–1992 Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
10 Template:Sortname NY 1937–2020 1983–2014 1996–2003 2014–2020 Template:Sortname death
12 Template:Sortname NY 1928–1999 1984–1996 1991–1996 1996–1999 Template:Sortname death
14 Template:Sortname NY 1926–2018 1986–1996 — 1996–2018 Template:Sortname death
15 Template:Sortname CA 1927–2023 1987–1997 — 1997–2023 Template:Sortname death
16 Richard W. Goldberg ND 1927–2023 1991–2001 — 2001–2023 Template:Sortname death
17 Template:Sortname CT 1947–2016 1995–2014 2010–2014 2014–2016 Template:Sortname death
18 Template:Sortname NV 1949–present 1995–2011 — — Template:Sortname elevation to Fed. Cir.

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Template:Reflist

Former judges of the United States Customs Court

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Template:Sortname NY 1865–1927 1926–1927[Note 2] 1926–1927 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
2 Template:Sortname NY 1858–1940 1926–1932[Note 2] 1927–1932 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
3 Template:Sortname NY 1852–1930 1926–1930[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
4 Template:Sortname NY 1854–1944 1926–1939[Note 2] 1934–1939 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
5 Template:Sortname NY 1859–1948 1926–1939[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
6 Template:Sortname NY 1871–1941 1926–1941[Note 2] 1939–1940 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
7 Template:Sortname NY 1854–1929 1926–1928[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
8 Template:Sortname NY 1857–1932 1926–1930[Note 2] — — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		retirement
9 Template:Sortname NY 1870–1932 1926–1932[Note 2] 1932 — Template:Sortname /
Template:Sortname 		death
10 Template:Sortname NY 1871–1949 1928–1949 1932–1934 — Template:Sortname death
11 Template:Sortname NY 1877–1959 1928–1953 — — Template:Sortname retirement
12 Template:Sortname NY 1877–1950 1930–1948[Note 3] — — Template:Sortname retirement
13 Template:Sortname NY 1870–1959 1931–1941 — — Template:Sortname retirement
14 Template:Sortname NY 1871–1955 1932–1942 — — Template:Sortname retirement
15 Template:Sortname NY 1873–1955 1933–1947 — — Template:Sortname retirement
16 Template:Sortname NY 1877–1945 1940–1945 — — Template:Sortname death
17 Template:Sortname NY 1888–1969 1940–1967 1940–1965 1967–1969 Template:Sortname death
18 Template:Sortname NY 1887–1956 1942–1956 — — Template:Sortname death
19 Template:Sortname NY 1889–1957 1942–1952 — — Template:Sortname elevation to C.C.P.A.
20 Template:Sortname NY 1878–1975 1943–1965 — 1965–1975 Template:Sortname death
21 Template:Sortname NY 1898–1962 1945–1962 — — Template:Sortname death
22 Template:Sortname NY 1888–1963 1947–1963 — — Template:Sortname death
23 Template:Sortname NY 1899–1988 1948–1980[Note 4] 1965–1971 — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
24 Template:Sortname NY 1911–1992 1949–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
25 Template:Sortname NY 1887–1976 1954–1966 — 1966–1976 Template:Sortname death
26 Template:Sortname NY 1893–1977 1955–1966 — 1966–1977 Template:Sortname death
27 Template:Sortname NY 1912–1982 1957–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
28 Template:Sortname NY 1907–1990 1964–1966 — — Template:Sortname elevation to Ct. Cl.
29 Template:Sortname NY 1912–1990 1965–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
30 Template:Sortname NY 1922–2001 1966–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
31 Template:Sortname NY 1913–1984 1967–1968 — — Template:Sortname resignation
32 Template:Sortname NY 1913–2002 1967–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
33 Template:Sortname NY 1907–1999 1968–1980 — — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
34 Template:Sortname NY 1909–1995 1968–1970 — 1970–1980 Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
35 Template:Sortname NY 1920–2006 1968–1980 1977–1980 — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade
36 Template:Sortname NY 1913–1992 1971–1980 1971–1977 — Template:Sortname reassignment to Intl. Trade

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Template:Reflist

Former members of the Board of General Appraisers

Template:Start U.S. appraiser |- | 1 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1831–1902 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1902 | style="text-align:center;" | 1897–1902 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | resignation |- | 2 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1838–1902 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1902 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1897 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | death |- | 3 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1845–1915 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1899 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | resignation |- | 4 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | Template:Sort | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1903 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | resignation |- | 5 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1837–1915 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1915 | style="text-align:center;" | 1910–1914 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | death |- | 6 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1837–1903 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1899 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | removal[Note 5] |- | 7 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1838–1904 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1890 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | resignation |- | 8 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1850–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1913 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | removal[Note 6] |- | 9 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1828–1900 | style="text-align:center;" | 1890–1899 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | resignation |- | 10 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1848–1908 | style="text-align:center;" | 1891–1908 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | death |- | 11 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1865–1927 | style="text-align:center;" | 1899–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | 1925–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 12 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1858–1940 | style="text-align:center;" | 1899–1926[Note 7] | style="text-align:center;" | 1902–1905 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 13 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1865–1939 | style="text-align:center;" | 1900–1910[Note 8] | style="text-align:center;" | 1906–1910 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | elevation to C.C.P.A. |- | 14 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1852–1930 | style="text-align:center;" | 1902–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 15 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1854–1944 | style="text-align:center;" | 1903–1926[Note 9] | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 16 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1853–1933 | style="text-align:center;" | 1903–1923[Note 10] | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | retirement |- | 17 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1861–1953 | style="text-align:center;" | 1908–1913[Note 11] | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | removal[Note 6] |- | 18 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1850–1918 | style="text-align:center;" | 1910–1918 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | death |- | 19 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1859–1948 | style="text-align:center;" | 1913–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | 1914–1925 | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 20 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1871–1941 | style="text-align:center;" | 1913–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 21 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1854–1929 | style="text-align:center;" | 1917–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 22 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1857–1932 | style="text-align:center;" | 1919–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct. |- | 23 | style="text-align:left;" | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:center;" | NY | style="text-align:center;" | 1870–1932 | style="text-align:center;" | 1924–1926 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | Template:Sortname | style="text-align:left;" | reassignment to Cust Ct.

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Chief judges

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Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to the Court of International Trade, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless circuit judges are also on the panel.[7] Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

Under the Board of General Appraisers, the position of Chief Judge was entitled "President". When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

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See also

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Sister project

Template:United States Federal Circuit district judges Template:United States Federal Circuit senior district judges Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Civic Center, Manhattan Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b Patrick C. Reed, The Origins and Creation of the Board of General Appraisers, pp. 92-92.
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c d e History of the United States Court of International Trade.
  8. ↑ Jo Freeman, A Room at a Time: How Women Entered Party Politics, 2002: Rowman and Littlefield, p. 216 (Template:ISBN)
  9. ↑ "The Coolidge Week", Time, May 14, 1928
  10. ↑ William Ganson Rose, Cleveland: the Making of a City, 1990: Kent State Univ. Press, p. 854 (Template:ISBN)
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Casey Nelson Blake, "Tilted Arc, and the Crisis of Public Art" in The Power of Culture: Critical Essays in American History (eds. Richard Wightman Fox & T. J. Jackson Lears), pp. 260–61, 278.
  15. ↑ Public Law 108-70, 108th United States Congress.
  16. ↑ Gregory W. Carman, Jurisdiction and the Court of International Trade: Remarks of the Honorable Gregory W. Carman at the Conference on International Business Practice Presented by the Center for Dispute Resolution on February 27–28, 1992, 13 Nw. J. Int'l L. & Bus. 245 (1992-1993). Retrieved from https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1357&context=njilb.


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