Customs Law

Our next case to discuss in The Gerson Company v. United States , which involves the tariff classification of artificial candles in the form of tea lights and candles. These are “artificial” because rather than being consumable candles with a wick that burns, they are translucent plastic or wax with a battery that powers an LED that simulates the appearance of a burning wick. You have probably seen these at a million restaurants that drop the tea lights into decorative holders on the table to create artificial ambiance. Customs classified these items in Heading 9405, which covers lamps and lighting fittings including search lights and spotlights, and parts thereof, not specified elsewhere. The importer’s primary argument was that the faux candles are classifiable in Heading 8543 as electrical machines and apparatus, having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in Chapter 85. Specifically, the importer claimed the correct classification was as electric luminescent l

As we know from my previous post , XYZ is the pseudonym of a company that imports Duracell batteries through channels that are not authorized by Duracell. That makes XYZ a “parallel importer” or “gray market importer.” Putting the best possible spin on its business model, XYZ finds opportunities to bring quality products to consumers at lower prices by taking advantage of imbalances in Duracell’s global pricing. In this model, Duracell has been fully and completely compensated through its foreign sale and is trying to thwart XYZ only to keep its U.S. price high. So, XYZ is arguably the champion of the common consumer. XYZ is, of course, operating in the realm of many righteous warriors for freedom and justice who have adopted a nom de guerre or “code name” to protect their identity from evil doers. Young Bruce Wayne could only do so much to protect Gotham. Batman, on the other hand, can operate at (or well passed) the edge of legality to take on the enemies of justice. Spider-Man ha