Opinion ID: 508504
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Modified Exclusion Order

Text: 44 NSC argues in a motion to dismiss that this court has no jurisdiction to hear appeals from a modified exclusion order because: (1) Sec. 337(c) limits our review to ITC determinations under sections 337(d), (e), or (f); (2) authority for exclusion order modification proceedings is found in Sec. 337(h); (3) Sec. 337(d) is completely silent as to exclusion order modification proceedings; and (4) Sec. 337(c) puts a 60-day limit on appeals. 45 NSC further argues that although this court in specific procedural contexts has addressed appeals involving modified exclusion orders or arguably has stated it could do so, all such cases were decided prior to the amendments to 19 U.S.C. Sec. 1337 ... placing a 60 day time limit on appeals from final determinations of the ITC. 9 46 NSC's reading of Sec. 337(c) is too restrictive in requiring a specific statutory provision for review of Modified Orders when the statute provides for review of original orders. NSC's view disregards the general rule that judicial review will not be precluded on the sole ground that specific procedures for judicial review of a particular agency action are not spelled out in a statute. Traynor v. Turnage, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 1372, 1378, 99 L.Ed.2d 618 (1988); Bowen v. Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, 476 U.S. 667, 670, 106 S.Ct. 2133, 2136, 90 L.Ed.2d 623 (1986) (strong presumption that Congress intends judicial review of administrative action); Fausto v. United States, 783 F.2d 1020, 1022 (Fed.Cir.1986), rev'd on other grounds, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 668, 673, 98 L.Ed.2d 830 (1988) (finding contrary Congressional intent); Rosano v. Department of the Navy, 699 F.2d 1315, 1318 n. 13 (Fed.Cir.1983); see also B. Mezines, J. Stein & J. Gruff, Administrative Law Sec. 44.02 (1987 revision). 10 NSC cites no showing of  'clear and convincing evidence' of a contrary legislative intent, Abbott Laboratories v. Gardner, 387 U.S. 136, 141, 87 S.Ct. 1507, 1511, 18 L.Ed.2d 681 (1967), and we are aware of none. 47 The statutory scheme of section 337 and its accompanying legislative history evidence that Congress did not intend that NSC's overly restrictive view govern judicial review of final determinations on the merits made by ITC under sections (d), (e), and (f). See H.Rep. No. 571, 93rd Cong., 1st Sess. 78 (1974) (Any order of the Commission entered in any proceeding would be subject to judicial review in the CCPA) (quoted in LSI Computer Sys. v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 832 F.2d 588, 590 (Fed.Cir.1987)); S.Rep. No. 1298, 93rd Cong., 2d Sess. 196-97 (1974), reprinted in 1974 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin News 7186, 7329 (under section 337(c) the Committee would extend the right to judicial review of final Commission determinations (of whether there is a violation of section 337 or whether there is reason to believe there is a violation)); see also SSIH Equip. S.A. v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 673 F.2d 1387, 1390 n. 9 (CCPA 1982) (Sec. 1337(c) is expansive statement of reviewable determinations); ITC Comments at 17526 ([A]ctions construable as final Commission actions under the rules, such as substantive modifications to cease and desist orders and the entry or removal of exclusion orders, would be reviewable before the [CCPA]). 48 ITC finds authority to modify an existing exclusion order in Sec. 337(h), see 5 C.F.R. Sec. 211.57 (1987); cf Young Engineers v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 721 F.2d 1305, 1312-13, 219 U.S.P.Q. 1142, 1148-49 (Fed.Cir.1983); yet when it actually modifies that order and issues the modified order it is making an appealable final determination under subsection (d), (e), or (f). The order modifying the existing order inherently relates to the propriety of the exclusion order and affects its validity. See Viscofan, S.A. v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 787 F.2d 544, 552, 229 USPQ 118, 124 (Fed.Cir.1986). The result is the same as that which would prevail if ITC had issued the modified order in the first instance. 49 The lure of NSC's simplistic reading of the statute evaporates when one realizes that the exclusion and cease-and-desist remedies of sections (d), (e), or (f) come into play only when an investigation has resulted in a finding that section 337(a) has been violated. Under NSC's narrow reading of the statute, a final order refusing to exclude an import because the patent was held invalid would not be appealable. That result would be contrary to the expressed intent of section 337(c). See S.Rep No. 1298, supra; see also Surface Technology, Inc. v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 801 F.2d 1336, 231 U.S.P.Q. 192 (Fed.Cir.1986) (reviewing ITC determination of no violation of Sec. 337); Lannom Mfg. Co. v. United States Int'l Trade Comm'n, 799 F.2d 1572, 231 USPQ 32 (Fed.Cir.1986). 50 The 1984 amendment to section 337(c) mandating a 60-day time limit on appeals from final determinations under subsections (d), (e), or (f), has no effect on our jurisdiction here. Because the Modified Order is itself a final determination under subsection (d), Allied's appeal was timely. It is irrelevant that the appeal was more than 18 months after publication of ITC's Amorphous Metals Exclusion Order. See Young Engineers, 721 F.2d at 1312, 219 USPQ at 1149 (12 (or 18) month rule of Sec. 337(b) means only [that] the conclusion that there is a violation or no violation of Sec. 337(a) must be made within that time period).