Deckers Appeals CIT Decision on HTS Classification of Teva Sandals

Deckers Corporation appealed the Court of International Trade’s April 12 dismissal of its challenge to CBP’s classification of its Teva sports sandals. Deckers had argued they should be classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) as sports footwear, but CBP instead found them to be footwear with open toes or open heels. The sandals were made for running and training, and the openings don’t detract from that function, Deckers had argued. CIT, though sympathetic, said it couldn’t ignore the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s ruling on similar footwear from Deckers in a test case the company had itself requested.