United States Court of International Trade

The United States Court of International Trade, abbreviated CIT, is a federal trial court that decides civil actions arising under United States customs and international trade laws. It is seated in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and may hear cases from anywhere in the country. Its lineage runs back to the Board of General Appraisers created in 1890 within the Treasury Department, which Congress replaced in 1926 with the United States Customs Court. The Customs Courts Act of 1980 established the court in its present form and gave its judges life tenure. As an Article III tribunal it can decide matters of both law and equity and grant remedies such as money judgments, writs of mandamus and injunctions. It is led by a chief judge and has nine judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, no more than five of whom may belong to one political party. Most cases are heard by a single judge.