High Court Denies Hearing of Uggs Tariff Classification Case on Deference to CBP Definitions
The Supreme Court on May 19 decided not to hear a challenge to CBP’s reliance on its internal footwear definitions document in a tariff classification case on Deckers’ Outdoor Corporation’s Uggs boots. The denial of certiorari will allow to stand a Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruling in May 9 that partially relied on CBP’s internal definition to classify Uggs as slip-on footwear (see 13050901). Deckers’ had argued that, if allowed to stand, reliance on unsupported administrative “fiat” statements would put importers in a difficult position in tariff classification disputes (see 14011415).
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At the same time the high court denied the appeal, it also denied a motion from the American Association of Exporters and Importers to file a brief that made arguments related to the case. AAEI had filed the brief late, but had asked for permission to file it past the deadline. The trade association had argued that CAFC’s decision would usurp the courts’ duty to interpret the law (see 14041419).