A panel of federal judges blocked most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs Wednesday, ruling that the president had exceeded his authority in imposing the sweeping levies on goods imported from around the world.
The surprise ruling, which had marked yet another blow to the Trump administration agenda before it was paused Thursday, came from the little-known United States Court of International Trade, which has exclusive jurisdictional authority over such matters.
Here’s what to know about the specialized court.
What is the U.S. Court of International Trade?
Established by the Customs Courts Act of 1980, the Court of International Trade is a federal court that oversees disputes involving customs and international trade law, such as unfair trade practices and enforcement.
The court was founded under Article III of the Constitution, which created the judicial branch of the federal government. Like the other Article III courts — the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. courts of appeals and the U.S. district courts — the Court of International Trade is overseen by the Judicial Conference, the policymaking body of the federal court system.
What authority does it have?
The Court of International Trade is based in New York City but has jurisdiction across the country and is authorized to hold hearings in foreign countries.
Under the Customs Courts Act of 1980, the court has “exclusive jurisdictional authority to decide any civil action against the United States, its officers, or its agencies arising out of any law pertaining to international trade,” according to its website.
The court also oversees lawsuits brought by the U.S. government concerning import transactions, counterclaims and cross-claims.
The chief judge typically assigns each case to one judge. However, disputes with broad implications or those concerning the constitutionality of an act of Congress or a presidential proclamation or executive order may be assigned to a three-judge panel.
Who are the judges?
There are nine active lifetime-appointed judges on the Court of International Trade: Chief Judge Mark A. Barnett, M. Miller Baker, Jennifer Choe-Groves, Gary S. Katzmann, Claire R. Kelly, Joseph A. Laroski Jr., Timothy M. Reif, Stephen Alexander Vaden and Lisa W. Wang.
Katzmann, Reif and Judge Jane A. Restani — a judge appointed by Ronald Reagan and now in senior status, a form of semi-retirement — presided over the Trump tariffs case.
Each judge is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Six of the nine active judges were nominated and confirmed under Democratic presidents. The remaining three — Baker, Reif and Vaden — were appointed by Trump.
By law, no more than five judges can be from the same political party. The judges’ personal party choices don’t necessarily match the president they were appointed by.
What comes next?
The Trump administration on Thursday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all appeals originating from the Court of International Trade, to pause the lower court’s decision.
The administration said in its court filing that it would ask the Supreme Court for emergency relief on Friday if the appeals court didn’t act quickly and pause the ruling.
The appeals court granted the administration’s request, temporarily pausing the trade court’s Wednesday order. This means Trump’s tariffs can continue for now.
Thursday’s ruling from the Federal Circuit could be appealed to the Supreme Court, which has the final say.
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