{"id":8637,"date":"2026-10-21T11:48:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leyton.com\/us\/?post_type=article&p=8637"},"modified":"2026-10-21T11:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:48:09","slug":"ieepa-refunds-cape-phase-3-and-the-freestyle-world-class-action","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leyton.com\/us\/insights\/articles\/ieepa-refunds-cape-phase-3-and-the-freestyle-world-class-action\/","title":{"rendered":"IEEPA Refunds: CAPE Phase 3 and the Freestyle World Class Action\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Status as of October 16, 2026. This is not legal advice. Confirm deadlines with trade counsel.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n On October 8, 2026, Judge Richard Eaton of the Court of International Trade (CIT) certified a nationwide importer class in Freestyle World, Inc. v. United States<\/em> (Court No. 26-01088, slip op. 26-123). The class covers all importers of record who paid duties under the Challenged Tariff Orders between February 1, 2025, and February 19, 2026. Importers who have separately sued to recover IEEPA duties are excluded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Membership is mandatory. Under Rule 23(b)(2) there is no opt-in or opt-out. Filing your own suit is effectively the only way to leave the class. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Certification is not a refund order. The class must still obtain a class-wide injunction directing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to liquidate or reliquidate entries without the IEEPA duties. Judge Eaton said he is certifying the class \u201cin the hope, and expectation\u201d that this leads to refunds, but he has not yet ordered them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The government is widely expected to appeal certification to the Federal Circuit. As of mid-October, commentators reported that it had not yet filed one. Its main arguments are that Supreme Court precedent bars universal relief for non-plaintiffs and that individualized refund calculations defeat class treatment. The CIT rejected the second argument, noting that differing refund amounts do not defeat commonality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The practical effect is that class relief may take a while, and it could be reversed. Non-plaintiff importers with finally liquidated entries are already locked out of CAPE Phase 3, pending the government\u2019s separate appeal of the universal refund injunction. A class appeal would likely prolong that lockout rather than pause something currently available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Suits to recover IEEPA duties at the CIT are brought under 28 U.S.C. \u00a7 1581(i) and are subject to the two-year limit in 28 U.S.C. \u00a7 2636(i). Firms calculate the clock from when duties were paid, which puts the earliest deadlines in early February 2027. DWT cites February 4, 2027, and Faegre Drinker conservatively uses February 1, 2027. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether passive class membership tolls this deadline for individual claims is unresolved. Freestyle World<\/em> argued that certification would give class members the benefit of tolling. However, I could not confirm that the certification order settles the point, so importers should not assume it does. [Check the opinion text before asserting anything more definite.]<\/em> Miller & Chevalier recommends filing individually before the deadline unless it becomes clear that class relief is available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Identify which bucket your entries are in.<\/strong> The suit-versus-class question matters mainly for finally liquidated<\/em> entries (liquidated more than 80 days ago). Unliquidated entries, and entries liquidated within the past 80 days, can already go through standard CAPE without a lawsuit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Check class coverage carefully.<\/strong> The class does not include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prepare your data systems.<\/strong> Confirm your ACE account and your refund-payment setup are current so you can act as soon as a class order or individual order issues. [I could not verify the ACH-specific requirement. Check CBP\u2019s CAPE guidance.]<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The class action may not deliver refunds for months, and the limitations clock for individual claims keeps running. Importers need to know now which entries are affected and which route fits each one. Leyton helps importers work through that decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere Things Stand<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Upcoming Litigation Milestones<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Anticipated Government Appeal<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Statute of Limitations<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategic Next Steps for Importers<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Weigh an individual lawsuit against waiting.<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSummary of changes from the original<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow Leyton Can Help<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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