US Asks CIT to Enter Judgment for Glock in Customs Suit on Pistol Parts

The U.S. moved to resolve a customs case brought by gunmaker Glock in favor of the company, offering to pay the importer refunds for royalty payments on its lone entry of pistol parts. The government said it wasn't "conceding or admitting to any factual or legal issues," but it would pay the refund "given the amount in controversy." Later cases on the valuation of the pistol parts will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, the brief said. The refund is less than $50 (Glock v. U.S., CIT # 23-00046).

The government said that in a bid to conclude the case, it sent Glock a "proposed stipulation" that the company rejected. The company responded with a motion to compel discovery at the Court of International Trade (see 2406240062). The gunmaker argued that the U.S. failed to provide substantive responses to its discovery motion.

In response, the U.S. filed its motion for judgment, arguing that entering motion for Glock would result in a lack of "a live case" or controversy, as the Constitution requires. Any opinion issued after judgment would just be an "impermissible advisory opinion," the U.S. said.

Glock brought the case in January, arguing that the royalties it paid on its pistol parts kits should have been deducted from the overall value of the products (see 2401170041).