OPINION
This matter is before the court on defendant’s Motion to Dismiss a complaint filed by plaintiff, H & H Wholesale Services, Inc. (“H & H”), alleging that the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (“Customs”) acted arbitrarily and capriciously in “excluding” a shipment of “One Touch” blood glucose test strips (the “merchandise”) imported on June 25, 2005. Defendant United States (the “Government”) argues that the court lacks jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1581(a) and (i) (2000) to hear the matter because the products were seized, not excluded. H & H has two responses. First, it claims that sufficient indicia of exclusion exist to support the court’s jurisdiction. Second, even if the facts alleged do not support jurisdiction, H & H submits that discovery is warranted prior to ruling on the Government’s Motion to Dismiss.
Additionally, H & H has filed an Amended Complaint, along with a Motion to Compel Defendants to Answer Plaintiffs Amended Complaint and Limit Time to Answer (“Motion to Compel”). The Amended Complaint follows the original Complaint, save for an additional count (Count Seven), alleging that Customs behaved arbitrarily and capriciously in de *1338 manding redelivery of a separate shipment of One-Touch blood glucose test strips that arrived in the United States from Canada on March 8, 2006. (Am. Compl.U 68-69.) The Government has moved to strike, or, in the alternative, to dismiss Count Seven of the Amended Complaint.
BACKGROUND
In June 2005, H & H imported a split-shipment of “One Touch” blood glucose test strips, produced by Lifescan, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (ComplJ 5, Ex. 1.) The shipment arrived in Detroit on June 25, 2005. (ComplJ 12, Ex. 7.) After taking a sample on June 27, Customs placed the shipment on “hold for intensive examination” on June 28. (CompLU 15-16.) On July 7, 2005, having received no notice of detention, counsel for H & H sent a letter to Customs to inquire about the status of its shipment. (Compl. ¶ 17, PL’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss Ex. C.) On July 8, counsel for H & H received a letter via facsimile from Customs stating that any inquiries regarding the merchandise should be directed tо the Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (PL’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 5, Ex. C.) On July 14, Customs officers seized the merchandise and issued a custody receipt for the seized property. (ComplJ 18, Ex. 15.) On July 21, Customs issued notices of seizure to H & H, which stated that the merchandise had been seized pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1595a(c) (2000 & West Supp. 2005) for attempted introduction of mis-branded drugs into interstate commerce in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331 and 352 (2000 & West Supp.2005). (Compl.Exs.16-17.) The notice included a “Notice of Seizure and Information for Claimants Form,” advising H & H of its right to file a claim after forfeiture proceedings were instituted or to seek administrative relief from forfeiture. (Compl.Exs.16-17.) On August 8, 2005, H & H filed a protest “against [Customs’s] classification decision; [its] ap-praisement decision, [its] decision to exclude the merchandise from entry or delivery and, any assessment, whether or not charged, on certain glucose test strips.” (Compl.Ex.18.) Customs’s hand-written response on the protest form was initially marked “denied in full for the reason checked,” but was changed to reflect that the protest was “rejected as non-protesta-ble.” (Compl.Ex.18.) By way of explanation, Customs wrote: “Both entries have been seized. (FP & F Case — 2005-3807-000250 and 2005-3807-000252) Please address any outstanding issues in the FP & F petitioning process.” 1 (Compl.Ex.18.)
On August 23, 2005, Customs sent H & H an amended notice of seizure, stating that it had decided “not to pursue” forfeiture under 21 U.S.C. §§ 331 and 352, but would seek forfeiture of the merchandise under 19 U.S.C. § 1526(e) for violations of Johnson & Johnson’s trademark on One Touch blood glucose test strips. (Compl.Ex.22-23.) On November 18, 2005, H & H filed a summons and complaint in this court under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) and (i), challenging Customs’s denial of its protest of the “exclusion” of its merchandise.
While this Motion to Dismiss was pending, H & H filed an Amended Complaint challenging Customs’s actions regarding a separate shipment of One-Touch blood glucose test strips from Canada. This shipment arrived in the Port of Detroit on March 8, 2006, and was presented for entry on Mаrch 10. (Am.ComplJ 69-70.) *1339 Customs released the shipment on March 28, 2006, following a “hold for intensive examination.” (Am.Compl.1ffl 72-73.) Customs then issued a demand for redelivery of the shipment the following day. (Am.ComplV 74.) H & H filed a protest to the demand for redelivery on March 30. (Am.Compl.Exs.31-32.) Count Seven of the Amended Complaint alleges that Customs improperly demanded redelivery. (Am. ComplV 79.) At the time the Amended Complaint was filed, Customs had not yet denied the protest. Customs did not respond to the protest and it was deemed denied on April 30, 2006. (See Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Strike 6.)
DISCUSSION
I. H & H’s Amended Complaint
Count Seven of H & H’s Amended Complaint challenges the denial of its protest of Customs’s demand for redelivery of the March 8, 2006 shipment. (Am. Compl.1ffl 74, 78.) The Government objects that the entry and protest listed in Count Seven do not appear in the summons filed to initiate this action, and has moved to strike, or in the alternative, dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, Count Seven of the Amended Complaint. Rather than issue a separate opiniоn, the court will address the merits of the Government’s Motion to Strike here.
The initial pleading in an action under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) is a summons. US-CIT R. 3(a)(1);
DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. United States,
II. The Court Lacks Subject Matter Jurisdiction Under § 1581(a)
The court now turns to the counts alleged in the original complaint. As the party seeking to invoke the jurisdiction of this court, H & H bears the burden of establishing jurisdiction.
Cedars-Sinai Med. Ctr. v. Watkins,
This case involves a challenge to one factual allegation underlying the pleadings.
*1340
H & H contends that the merchandise was excluded prior to being seized; the Government argues that no exclusion tоok place. The court will therefore “review evidence outside the pleadings to determine facts necessary to rule on the jurisdictional issue.”
Autoalliance Int’l, Inc. v. United States,
A. No Exclusion of the Merchandise Occurred Prior to Seizure on July 28, 2005
H & H asserts that the court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a), or alternatively under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i). The court has “exclusive jurisdiction of any civil action commenced to contest the denial of a protest, in whole or in part, under section 515 of the Tariff Act of 1930 [codified at 19 U.S.C. § 1515].” 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a). This includes a challenge to the denial of a protest concerning “the exclusion of merchandise from entry or delivery ... under any provision of the customs laws, except a determination ap-pealable under section 1337 of this title.” 2 19 U.S.C. § 1514(a)(4) (2000).
It is well established, however, that the court lacks jurisdiction under § 1581(a) to review a seizure of goods by Customs. If Customs’s treatment of the merchandise “was a ‘seizurе’ ... jurisdiction would lie with the United States District Court ... under 28 U.S.C. § 1356.”
Milin Indus., Inc. v. United States,
In 1993, Congress passed the Customs Modernization Act (the “Mod Act”) as Title VI of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, which limited the time available to Customs to make a deсision to detain, exclude or seize an entry. See North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, Pub.L. No. 103-182, Title VI, § 613, 107 Stat.2057, 2171 (1993) (amending 19 U.S.C. § 1499 (2000)). After presentation of goods for entry, Customs has five days, excluding weekends and holidays, in which *1341 to either release or detain those goods. 4 19 U.S.C. § 1499(c)(1). If the goods are not released within those five days, they are deemed detained. Id. Customs must “make a final determination with respect to the admissibility of detained merchandise” within thirty days after the merchandise is presented for. examination. § 1499(c)(5)(A). Failure to make a final determination within thirty days is “treated as a decision ... to exclude the merchandise for purposes of [19 U.S.C. § 1514(a)(4) ].” § 1499(c)(5)(A). This is referred to as a “deemed exclusion.”
The merchandise in this case was seized within thirty days after it was presented to Customs for inspection. {See Compl. ¶¶ 13, 18-19.) Therefore, no “deemed exclusion” took place. Absent a deemed exclusion, H & H must show that an express exclusion of the mеrchandise occurred. 5 H & H contends that the merchandise was expressly excluded sometime in July 2005, before it was seized. {See Pl.’s Br. Supp. Mot. for an Expedited Litig. Schedule 4.)
1. Under the Relevant Test, No Exclusion Occurred
In determining whether a plaintiff has challenged a seizure, as opposed to an exclusion, the court commonly considers a number of factors, including whether:
1) the plaintiffs protest indicated that it was challenging the “seizure” of the merchandise; 2) the plaintiff received a notice of seizure from Customs; 3) the government had control over the merchandise; and 4) upon notice, the plaintiff was required to choose between immediate forfeiture proceedings or a petition for relief from seizure.
CDCOM (U.S.A.) Int’l, Inc. v. United States,
H & H’s exhibits show that it received notices of seizure from Customs prior to filing its protest. (See Compl. Exs. 16-17.) Thus, H & H received notice of seizure for the purposes of the second factor described in CDCOM and International Maven. Relatedly, the notices required H & H to choose between immediate forfeiture proceedings or a petition for relief, as described in factor four. The notices clearly state “[e]nclosed is a NOTICE OF SEIZURE AND INFORMATION FOR CLAIMANTS.” (Compl.Exs.16-17.) This notice “explains the options available to you,” and includes instruction to “mark the first block and sign the ELECTION PROCEEDINGS form in order for this office to process your petition.” (Compl.Exs.16-17.)
Finally, H
&
H has not shown that it regained control over the merchandise after it was presented for examination. As noted, one clear difference between exclusion and seizure is who gains control of the merchandise by virtue of Customs’s action.
R.J.F.,
2. H & H’s Additional Arguments Do Not Demonstrate that an Exclusion Occurred
H & H alleges a number of facts that in its view demonstrate the existence of an
*1343
exclusion under
Milin. Mitin
involved a protest to the exclusion of improperly-invoiced merchandise (rags) prior to their seizure. The rags were entered on June 23, 1987.
Id.
at 660,
The significance of a hold for examination and a delay between entry and seizure has diminished in the years since
Milin
was decided. Under the law at the time, the
Milin
court found an exclusion based on a six-day delay between entry and seizure.
Milin,
H & H next makes two arguments that Customs’s regulations at least anticipate that an exclusion could have occurred in this case. Of course, even if H & H is correct that Customs could have excluded the merchandise, the existence of legal authority to exclude does not prove that a protestable exclusion actually took place. *1344 Nonetheless, for completeness sake the court will address these arguments. First, H & H claims that, prior to seizing the merchandise, Customs’s regulations at 19 C.F.R. §§ 133.23(b) and 133.25(c) (2006) require “not only an ‘admissibility’ decision but also a ‘denial of entry’ ... which is consistent with an exclusion from entry or delivery as required under both 19 USC 1499 and 19 USC 1514.” 6 (PL’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 17.) These regulations have no bearing in this case, however, because H & H’s merchandise was seized under 19 C.F.R. § 133.21, which deals with counterfeit merchandise. (Compl. Ex. 22-23 (“The boxes are counterfeit of the One Touch trademark owned by Johnson & Johnson.... Pursuant to title 19, Code of Federal Regulatiоns, part 133.21(b), any article of domestic or foreign manufacture imported into the United States bearing a counterfeit trademark shall be seized.... ”)). Section 133.21(b) provides that Customs shall seize “[a]ny article of foreign or domestic manufacture imported into the United States bearing a counterfeit trademark,” and makes no mention of a “denial of entry.” See 19 C.F.R. § 133.21. Thus, the language of the applicable Customs regulation supports the conclusion that the merchandise was seized and not excluded.
H & H’s next argument is based on the regulatory history of 19 C.F.R. § 133.25(c), later codified at 19 C.F.R. § 133.52(c), which deals with the disposition of “articles bearing a counterfeit trademark.” (PL’s Resp. Def.’s Mot Dismiss 18.) In 1979, Commenters to the proposed section 133.25(c) complained that no procedure existed for challenging a Customs determination that a trademark was counterfeit. See T.D. 79-159,13 Cust. B. & Dec. 370, 382 (1979). 7 Customs refused to add such a procedure, stating that it was “of the opinion that there are already adequate procedures in the regulations to contest or appeal a decision.” Id. H & H notes that Customs stated that one way to contest a decision may be section 174.11(d), which authorizes “the filing of a protest from the exclusion of merchandise from entry or delivery under any provision of the Customs laws.” Id. at 382-83. H & *1345 H asserts that “[t]his history provides an unambiguous acknowledgment by customs that the procedure for contesting a determination that goods bear a counterfeit trademark is the filing of a protest from exclusion.” (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 19.) H & H ignores that Customs’s response also states that “part 171 [of 19 C.F.R.] provides procedures for petitioning for relief from fines, penalties, and forfeitures.” Id. at 3 82. The reference to section 174.11(d) notwithstanding, the surrounding regulations make clear that Customs does not expect exclusion to occur in all cases involving counterfeit mеrchandise. 19 C.F.R. 133.21(e) provides that counterfeit merchandise “shall be disposed of in accordance with § 133.52, subject to the importer’s right to petition for relief from the forfeiture under the provisions of part 171 of this chapter,” but makes no reference to exclusions or protests under section 174.11. See 19 C.F.R. § 133.21. The provisions of 19 C.F.R. part 171 also specifically discuss seizures and forfeiture, while section 174.11 makes no mention of seizures. Compare 19 C.F.R. §§ 171.0 (providing that part 171 applies to petitions for the restoration of proceeds from the sale of seized and forfeited property), 171.14 (providing advice relating to seizures and forfeitures), with 174.11 (listing protestable actions described in 19 U.S.C. § 1514(a) without mentioning seizures). In the presence of the specific regulatory provisions of part 171, the court finds that Customs’s reference to section 174.11 in the cited passage of regulatory history does not establish that seizures of counterfeit goods are necessarily accompanied by protestable exclusions. 8
B. Amendment of the Notice of Seizure More Than Thirty Days After Entry Did Not Give Rise to an Exclusion Under 19 U.S.C. § 1499(c)
H & H also contends that the merchandise should be deemed excluded because Customs amended its original notices of seizure, abandoning its claims for forfeiture under 21 U.S.C. §§ 331 and 352 (adulterated and misbranded goods) and substituting a claim for forfeiture under 19 U.S.C. § 1526(e) (counterfeit trademark). According to H & H, because “the August 23 notices were not amending notices at all, but rather were supplemental notices .... the original notices of seizure must be void from inception.” (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 21.) H
&
H cites
Detroit Zoological Society v. United States,
Detroit Zoological
neither stands for this proposition nor governs the outcome
*1346
of this case. In
Detroit Zoological,
the court considered whether to allow a plaintiff to file a supplemental complaint under USCIT R. 15(d).
Id.
at 655,
The court did not decide that all supplemental complaints, much less amended notices of seizure, void prior complaints or notices
ab initio.
In fact, the court left open the possibility that the supplemental complaint might be deemed filed on the date the new jurisdictional facts occurred, rather than the date on which the supplemental complaint was filed.
Id.
at 657,
In sum, having considered the test described in Tempco and International Maven, the facts presented by H & H in support of jurisdiction under 1581(a), and H & H’s additional legal arguments, the court finds that H & H has not demonstrated that an exclusion of the merchandise took place. The court is therefore without jurisdiction to hear H & H’s claims under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a).
III. The Court Lacks Jurisdiction Under § 1581(i)
H & H also asserts jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(4), which gives the Court of International Trade exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action brought against the United States “that arises out of any law of the United States providing *1347 for ... administration and enforcement with respect to the matters referred to in paragraphs (l)-(3) of this subsection and subsections (a)-(h) of this section.” 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i)(4). H & H appears to assert that Customs’s failure to provide “fair notice to the importer as to the basis for the exclusion of the subject merchandise as well as a basis for its detention” involves the administration and enforcement of matters specified in § 1581(0(4). (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 27.) Having found that no exclusion took place, the court will focus on H & H’s contention that Customs failed to provide notice of detention of the merchandise, as required under 19 U.S.C. § 1499(c)(2) and implemented by 19 C.F.R. § 151.16(b) (2006).
Through 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i), Congress intended “to avoid conflict in jurisdiction with the district courts and to ensure judicial review for various unspecified challenges to enforcement of import laws.”
Associacao Dos Industriais De Cordoaria E Redes v. United States,
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has made clear that “Congress did not commit to the Court of International Trade’s exclusive jurisdiction
every
suit against the Government challenging customs-related laws and regulations.”
See Kmart Corp. v. Cartier, Inc.,
The thrust of this aspect of H & H’s complaint is clear: Customs allegedly failed to provide notice of detention prior to improperly seizing the merchandise as adulterated and misbranded or for bearing a counterfeit trademark. H & H further seeks to overturn Customs’s seizure because “[t]he uncontroverted facts in this matter more readily demonstrate that the subject articles are simрly unprotected ‘gray market’ goods.” (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 25.) Count One of the Complaint challenges as arbitrary and capricious Customs’s determination that the merchandise was “adulterated and mis-branded.” (Comply 28.) Count Three asserts that the merchandise does not involve “a serious violation of an FDA safety standard,” “importation of a protected grey market product,” or “violation of a protected trademark.” (Compl.lffl 37-38.) To remedy these violations, H & H asks the court to order that “the merchandise *1348 seized ... be immediately released.” (Compl.12.)
Because “[tjrademark law is purely domestic, not ‘international trade law,’ ”
CDCOM,
Acceptance of jurisdiction over the § 1499(c) issue would not only conflict with the language of § 1581(i)(4), but also with the policy underlying the grant of residual jurisdiction made in the Customs Courts Act. Pub.L. No. 96-417, 94 Stat. 1727 (1980). The Court of International Trade was given residual jurisdiction to provide a “comprehensive system of judicial review of civil actions arising from import transactions,” while clarifying the “ill-defined division of jurisdiction between the Customs Court and the federal district courts.” Customs Courts Act of 1980, H.R.Rep. No. 96-1235, at 20 (1980), as reprinted in 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3729, 3731. Congress not оnly expanded the Court of International Trade’s jurisdiction, but also made it exclusive in order to “eliminate the confusion ... as to the demarcation between the jurisdiction of the district courts and the *1349 Court of International Trade.” H.R.Rep. No. 96-1235, at 47, 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 3759. Likewise, 28 U.S.C. § 1356 was passed as part of the same legislation to “clarif[y] the demarcation between the jurisdiction of the Court of International Trade and the United States district courts.” Id. at 67, 1980 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 3778.
A decision that the court has exclusive jurisdiction over all cases involving Customs’s alleged failure to comply with § 1499(e) would provide neither comprehensive review nor a clear boundary between this Court and the district courts. If the court were to rule against H & H on its procedural objection, the court would have exercised exclusive jurisdiction over the application of § 1499(c) only to return the case to the district courts to consider thе validity of the underlying seizure. District courts faced with questions of § 1499(c) compliance in seizure cases would be obliged to send portions of those cases to this court. Rather than providing a single forum, the court would have needlessly required the piecemeal resolution of challenges to seizures. The court therefore concludes that it lacks exclusive jurisdiction under § 1581(i)(4) over Customs’s alleged failure to comply with § 1449(c)(1) in this action.
IV. H & H’s Motion to Expedite Discovery
H & H has also submitted a Motion for an Expedited Litigation Schedule pursuant to USCIT R. 3(g). From counsel’s arguments at a hearing on this motion, it is apparent that H & H has requested that at least some “expedited discovery” take place prior to ruling on the Motion to Dismiss.
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, in reviewing a motion contesting the facts supporting jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1), “a trial court has wide discretion to allow affidavits, documents and even a limited evidentiary hearing to resolve disputed jurisdictional facts.”
10
Ohio Nat’l Life Ins. Co. v. United States,
The Federal Circuit has not provided a clear test used to evaluate Rule 56(f) affi
*1350
davits, but the Court of Federal Claims has construсted a test based on the available precedents of the Federal Circuit and the tests employed in other circuit courts.
See Theisen Vending Co., v. United States,
The
Theisen
test appears to be a fair amalgam of the relevant case law, including that of the Federal Circuit. As a matter of procedure, courts have emphasized thе importance of an affidavit, though this may be excused under certain circumstances.
See, e.g., Harrods Ltd. v. Sixty Internet Domain Names,
Finally, some courts require an express showing that the facts sought under Rule 56(f) are likely to exist and are likely to be discovered.
See Vivid Tech.,
Although H & H has not submitted an affidavit, the court provided H & H an opportunity to identify the specific information it would request in discovery in its response brief opposing the Government’s Motion to Dismiss. H & H submitted thirty-two wide-ranging interrogatories attached to its brief, which it proposes to submit to the government prior to a ruling on the Motion to Dismiss. (Pl.s’ Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss Ex. E.) In addition to these interrogatories, H & H appears to have identified two areas of discovery it would like to pursue. First, H & H references a “phantom exhibit” in the form of a preliminary report from Johnson & Johnson indicating that the sample boxes taken from the merchandise were counterfeit. (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 20.) Second, H & H states that documents it received from Customs in response to its protest were altered. 12 (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 25.) According to H & H, these “curious cross-outs, lineouts, and modifications on the face of the protest, bring[] the true nature of customs [sic] actions into deeper question.” (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 25.) H & H further claims that an “anomalous dating sequence suggested by the lengthy gap between the dates reflected on the document and the considerably later date that the document was received by counsel” may, if investigated, reveal an exclusion of the merchandise prior to its seizure. (Pl.’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 25.)
With respect to H & H’s claim regarding the letter from Johnson & Johnson, it appears that the Response Brief explains what information it seeks, the efforts H & H has made to obtain this information, and the refusal of the Government to provide that information. (PL’s Resp. Defi’s Mot. Dismiss 20.) The Response Brief therefore meets the first, fourth and fifth requirements for a Rule 56(f) motion. However, H & H has not explained how discovery of this report might show that an exclusion took place prior to seizure of the merchandise, thus failing to meet the second factor. The facts surrounding the “phantom exhibit” therefore do not justify additional discovery prior to ruling on the motion to dismiss.
With respect to the alterations appearing on the protest form, and the delay in sending Customs’s response to the protest to counsel, H & H has satisfied the requirements that it state the information it seeks to discover, the efforts it has made to obtain such information, and why its efforts were unsuccessful. In explaining the significance of these facts to the question of jurisdiction, however, H & H only states that these changes and the delay in response draw the “true nature” of Customs’s actions into “deeper question.” (PL’s Resp. Def.’s Mot. Dismiss 25.) H & H does not explain how discovery related to these questions would likely result in evidence that would tend to show an exclusion took place without H & H ever becoming aware. H & H’s Response Brief *1352 therefore fails to make the necessary-showing under Rule 56(f).
Finally, the court notes that H & H’s proposed interrogatories are not tailored to request the information identified in its Response Brief. The interrogatories do not focus on the question of jurisdiction, but rather seek discovery related to all aspects of H & H’s claims, including information related to the treatment of its goods as counterfeit or gray-market merchandise and the alleged adulteration and misbranding of the goods. Such broad proposed discovery fails to show how the results of discovery will likely demonstrate facts supporting the court’s jurisdiction. In sum, H & H’s request for discovery is no more than a claim that some evidence of an exclusion might appear if discovery were granted. The court finds that this “speculative hope” does not merit discovery prior to ruling on the Government’s Motion to Dismiss.
CONCLUSION
In accordance with the foregoing opinion, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Count Seven of the Amended Complaint is GRANTED. Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the original Complaint is also GRANTED. Plaintiffs Motion to Compel Defendant to Answer Plaintiffs Amended Complaint and Limit Time to Answer is DENIED. Plaintiffs Motion For an Expedited Litigation Schedule is also DENIED, and this action is DISMISSED in its entirety.
Notes
. "FP & F” stands for "Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures.”
. 19 U.S.C. § 1337 (2000 & West Supp.2005) concerns investigations by the International Trade Commission and is not relevant here.
. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1356 (2000), "[t]he district courts shall have original jurisdiction ... of any seizure under any law of the United States on land or upon waters not within admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, except matters under the jurisdiction of the Court of Internationаl Trade under section 1582 of this title." 28 U.S.C. § 1582 (2000) relates to claims brought by the United States to recover civil penalties, bonds and duties, and is not relevant here.
. Detention provides Customs with time to determine whether to exclude or seize goods, but does not result in an exclusion or seizure itself. See North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, H.R.Rep. No. 103-361, pt. 1, at 111-12 (1993), as reprinted in 1993 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2552, 2662-63 ("It is intended that the provisions set forth in subsection (c), relating to the detention of merchandise, provide a carefully balanced structure which allows the Customs Service, in the first instance, a minimum of 60 days in which to determine whether merchandise initially detained shall be excluded from entry or seized and forfeited if otherwise authorized under other provisions of law.”).
. The Government argues that if a final determination to seize is made within thirty days of presentation, the court may assume that no exclusion took place. (Def.’s Reply Br. Supp. Mot. Dismiss 8 ("If ... the detained merchandise is seized within ... 30 days [following presentation of the merchandise for inspection] ... no legal exclusion has occurred.”) (emphasis removed)).
Tempco
contains some language supporting the Government's interpretation. See
. 19 C.F.R. § 133.22 is entitled "[Restrictions on importation of articles bearing copying or simulating trademarks,” and provides that "[a]ny articles ... imported into the United States bearing a mark or name copying or simulating a recorded mark or name shall be denied entry and subject to detention as provided in § 133.25.” 19 C.F.R. § 133.22(b). 19 C.F.R. § 133.23 is entitled "[Restrictions on importation of gray market articles,” and provides that "[a]ll restricted gray market goods ... shall be denied entry and subject to detention as provided in § 133.25.” 19 C.F.R. § 133.23(c). Section 133.25 provides for the detention of goods subject to section 133.22 and 133.23, and the denial of entry for such goods. See 19 C.F.R. § 133.25(b)-(c). Section 133.25 makes no mention of goods seized under section 133.21. See id.
. The cited section of comments states in full:
Several commenters contended thаt proposed section 133.25 [later codified as 19. C.F.R. 133.52] was deficient in that it failed to provide the importer of goods bearing allegedly counterfeit trademarks a means of contesting a determination that the trademarks are counterfeit. The commenters believed that the section should be revised to provide for an appeal procedure.
Customs is of the opinion that there are already adequate procedures in the regulations to contest or appeal a decision. For example, part 171 provides procedures for petitioning for relief from fines, penalties, and forfeitures; section 174.11(d) authorizes the filing of a protest from the exclusion of merchandise from entry or delivery under any provision of the Customs laws; and section 177.11(b) sets forth a procedure for obtaining internal advice.
T.D. 79-159, 13 Cust. B. & Dec. at 382-83.
. H & H's citation to
Vivitar Corp. v. United States,
. H & H cites to
Schaper Manufacturing Co., Division of Kusan, Inc. v. Regan,
Acknowledging that one paragraph in the plaintiff’s complaint sought reversal of Customs’s finding that some of the goods were non-infringing, the court nonetheless found that the "thrust of the instant action and the relief sought is ... the return of the bonds to the plaintiff pursuant to its request for withdrawal.”
Id.
at 271,
. In interpreting the USCIT Rules, the court may refer to the interpretation of a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure that is materially the same. Former Employees of Tyco Elecs. v. U.S. Dep’t of Labor, 259 F.Supp.2d 1246, 1251 (CIT 2003). USCIT R. 12(b)(1) is materially the same as Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1).
. USCIT R. 56(f) is materially the same as Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f).
. Specifically, the response form was apparently marked "denied” but later changed to "rejected” because the merchandise had been seized. (See Compl. Ex. 18.)
