A U.S. District Court in Jackson, Mississippi, reaffirmed granting Google a preliminary injunction against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and denied his motion to dismiss the case (see 1503020060), said court documents. Google’s submitted evidence purported to show Hood’s “dissatisfaction with Google’s posting of certain content he finds objectionable, namely advertisements and videos originating from third parties” before the case, said Judge Henry Wingate. Hood publicized “inflammatory statements” against Google, he said. “Google claims that it responded to the Attorney General’s concerns by voluntarily making requested changes, on several occasions, but declining to accommodate the Attorney General’s expressed wishes on others, citing its right to free speech under the First Amendment.” Hood’s 79-page subpoena against Google soon followed (see 1412190045), he said. Google’s argument “has a home in federal court,” said Wingate. "Google is not required to expose itself to civil or criminal liability before bringing a declaratory action to establish its rights under federal law, particularly where the exercise of those rights have been threatened or violated.” Hood didn’t comment. He said after the initial ruling earlier this month that Friday’s order doesn’t “indicate how the court will ultimately rule on the merits of the case.” The docket is number 3:14-cv-00981.
The Commerce Department is beginning antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on polyethylene terephthalate resin from China, India, Oman and Canada (AD only), it said in a fact sheet released March 31 (here). A group of U.S. paper manufacturers and a trade union requested the investigations on March 10, alleging that underpriced imports of PET resin from the four countries have led to "anemic" capacity utilization by U.S. manufacturers, and have had a "negative effect on domestic industry employment" (see 1503130026). The International Trade Commission is set to make its preliminary injury determination by April 24. These AD/CV duty investigations will only continue if the ITC finds injury. ITT will provide more details upon publication of the initiation notice in the Federal Register.
A U.S. District Court in Jackson, Mississippi, reaffirmed granting Google a preliminary injunction against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and denied his motion to dismiss the case (see 1503020060), said court documents. Google’s submitted evidence purported to show Hood’s “dissatisfaction with Google’s posting of certain content he finds objectionable, namely advertisements and videos originating from third parties” before the case, said Judge Henry Wingate. Hood publicized “inflammatory statements” against Google, he said. “Google claims that it responded to the Attorney General’s concerns by voluntarily making requested changes, on several occasions, but declining to accommodate the Attorney General’s expressed wishes on others, citing its right to free speech under the First Amendment.” Hood’s 79-page subpoena against Google soon followed (see 1412190045), he said. Google’s argument “has a home in federal court,” said Wingate. "Google is not required to expose itself to civil or criminal liability before bringing a declaratory action to establish its rights under federal law, particularly where the exercise of those rights have been threatened or violated.” Hood didn’t comment. He said after the initial ruling earlier this month that Friday’s order doesn’t “indicate how the court will ultimately rule on the merits of the case.” The docket is number 3:14-cv-00981.
The Commerce Department made a preliminary affirmative antidumping determination that boltless steel shelving units prepackaged for sale from China (A-570-018) are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value (here). As a result, Commerce will impose AD duty cash deposit requirements on shipments of subject merchandise entered on or after April 1.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the March 30 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department issued the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on large power transformers from South Korea (A-580-867) (here). These final results will be used to set final assessments of AD duties on importers for entries between February 2012 and July 2013.
The Commerce Department is beginning a new shipper review on cut-to-length carbon quality steel plate from South Korea (A-580-836) at the request of Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd., said the agency (here). Commerce will instruct CBP to allow the posting of a bond instead of a cash deposit for entries of subject merchandise produced and exported by Hyundai during the review. The preliminary results of the new shipper review are due in September, with the final results due 90 days after publication of the preliminary results.
The Commerce Department issued the final results of the antidumping duty new shipper review on pasta from Turkey (A-489-805) (here). The agency made no changes from its preliminary results, continuing to find a zero AD rate for subject merchandise produced and exported by Beşsan Makarna Gida San. Ve Tic. A.S. As such, Commerce will direct CBP to liquidate period of review entries of merchandise produced and exported by Bessan without regard to AD duties, and will not collect AD cash deposits on future entries of such merchandise until further notice. These final results are take effect March 27.
The Commerce Department will require antidumping duty cash deposits on imports of boltless steel shelving units prepackaged for sale from China, it said in a March 25 fact sheet (here). The agency found AD duty rates of 50.23% to 112.68% for Chinese companies in its preliminary determination. The final determination in this investigation is currently due in July. ITT will have more details on the preliminary rates when Commerce publishes its preliminary determination in the Federal Register.
The Commerce Department published notices in the March 26 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):