US tariff lawsuits returned to trade court to determine next steps

Source: Reuters

March 2, 2026 1:17 PM EST Updated 4 hours ago


WILMINGTON, Delaware, March 2 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Monday returned the lawsuits that led ​to most of President Donald Trump's tariffs being struck ‌down to the U.S. Court of International Trade, which could determine the process for refunding more than $130 billion to importers.

The ​U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ​issued a one-page order granting the motion by ⁠importers to send the case back to the trade ​court, where it originated in early 2025. The motion was ​opposed by the Trump administration, which said it wanted the case delayed for up to four months to give it time ​to consider its options.

The Supreme Court struck down tariffs on ​February 20 that Trump imposed under an economic emergency law. More ‌than ⁠300,000 importers paid those tariffs, but the Supreme Court did not provide any guidance on how the government should refund that money, and Trump said the process ​could lead to ​five years ⁠of litigation.

Around 2,000 importers have sued for refunds, many of them large multinational companies ​like FedEx (FDX.N). Smaller importers are hoping customs ​officials will ⁠adopt a simple and low-cost process for obtaining refunds.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-tariff-lawsuits-returned-trade-court-determine-next-steps-2026-03-02/