The Court of International Trade (CIT) is a specialized U.S. federal court located in New York City. It was created to resolve cases involving international trade and customs disputes.
The CIT is the only federal court authorized to hear cases concerning numerous laws and acts such as the Tariff Act of 1930, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Through its specialized jurisdiction, the CIT works to settle trade disputes between the U.S. government and private companies, as well as between private companies and other nations or global organizations.
Applications of the Court of International Trade
The CIT handles cases involving import duties, removals, seizures, classification, and valuation. In addition, the CIT can also issue structural injunctions, enforce court orders, require attorneys’ fees, hold people or organizations in contempt, and award punitive and compensatory damages.
The CIT is also responsible for interpreting divergent customs laws between trading partners, such as those between the United States and the European Union. With global trade on the rise, and increasingly complex tariff and customs regulations, the role of the Court of International Trade will continue to become more important as we move into the future.