On March 16, 2015, the American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the petition for a writ of certiorari filed by Daniel Law on behalf of Harish Shadadpuri. Shadadpuri v. United States, S.Ct. No. 14-986, filed February 13, 2015. The petition seeks review of the en banc decision of the Federal Circuit which imposed personal liability for Customs civil penalties on the president and sole shareholder of the corporate importer of record of men's suits under 19 U.S.C. 1592. The Solicitor General obtained an extension of time to April 16, 2015 in which to file a response to the petition for certiorari.
The AAEI is an American trade association whose members are U.S. based importers of a wide variety of goods, from automobiles to household goods and apparel, as well as customs brokers, freight forwarders, and banks. AAEI's brief agrees with petitioner Shadadpuri that the important issue presented warrants the Supreme Court's review. It contends that the Federal Circuit misconstrued 19 U.S.C. 1592 in a way that imposes personal liability on corporate importer personnel far beyond the language and intention of Congress in 19 U.S.C. 1592.
AAEI's amicus brief was filed by John M. Peterson, Russell A. Semmel, and Richard F. O'Neill, of Neville Peterson LLP in New York City. The brief may be viewed here.