Feb. 1 Section 301 Oral Argument Appears on Amended Court Schedule

In-person oral argument in the Section 301 cases is scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the U.S. Court of International Trade, confirmed the court in an amended courthouse activities report Tuesday. A previously posted report dated Monday had the Section 301 oral argument missing from the schedule. Mindful of the enormous attention the litigation has generated through the thousands of cases filed, the court said in a Nov. 12 scheduling order that it “anticipates that in-person attendance will be limited,” but a remote audio feed will be provided. All the cases seek to have the Lists 3 and 4A tariffs on Chinese imports vacated and the paid duties refunded with interest. Lawyers with active Section 301 cases told us they think the Ceremonial Courtroom was chosen for its size and historical significance, having played host to oral argument in the harbor maintenance tax case after which some of the Section 301 case management procedures were fashioned. The lawyers speculated the Ceremonial Courtroom holds more than twice the gallery of any of the other regular courtrooms, and was picked to promote better social distancing.