Sunpreme Inc. v. United States, Solarworld Americas, Inc. , 892 F.3d 1186 ( 2018 )


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  •   United States Court of Appeals
    for the Federal Circuit
    ______________________
    SUNPREME INC.,
    Plaintiff-Appellee
    v.
    UNITED STATES, SOLARWORLD AMERICAS, INC.,
    Defendants-Appellants
    ______________________
    2017-1338, 2017-1351
    ______________________
    Appeals from the United States Court of International
    Trade in No. 1:15-cv-00315-CRK, Judge Claire R. Kelly.
    ______________________
    Decided: June 14, 2018
    ______________________
    NANCY NOONAN, Arent Fox, LLP, Washington, DC,
    argued for plaintiff-appellee. Also represented by JOHN
    M. GURLEY, DIANA DIMITRIUC QUAIA.
    JUSTIN REINHART MILLER, International Trade Field
    Office, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division,
    United States Department of Justice, New York, NY,
    argued for defendant-appellant United States.     Also
    represented by CHAD A. READLER, JEANNE E. DAVIDSON,
    REGINALD T. BLADES, JR.; PAULA S. SMITH, Office of the
    Assistant Chief Counsel, United States Bureau of Cus-
    2                            SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    toms and Border Protection, United States Department of
    Homeland Security, New York, NY.
    MAUREEN E. THORSON, Wiley Rein, LLP, Washington,
    DC, argued for defendant-appellant SolarWorld Americas,
    Inc.   Also represented by TIMOTHY C. BRIGHTBILL,
    STEPHANIE MANAKER BELL, TESSA V. CAPELOTO, LAURA
    EL-SABAAWI, DERICK HOLT, USHA NEELAKANTAN, ADAM
    MILAN TESLIK,.
    ______________________
    Before NEWMAN, LOURIE, and REYNA, Circuit Judges.
    REYNA, Circuit Judge.
    SolarWorld America Inc. and the United States ap-
    peal from the judgment of the United States Court of
    International Trade in favor of Sunpreme Inc., concluding
    that the United States Customs and Border Protection
    exceeded its authority in reaching a determination that
    certain products imported by Sunpreme are covered by
    the scope of antidumping and countervailing duty orders
    on U.S. imports of solar cells from the People’s Republic of
    China. Because the Court of International Trade lacked
    jurisdiction to hear Sunpreme’s claims, we reverse.
    BACKGROUND
    I.
    U.S. trade laws provide that “American industries
    may petition for relief from imports that are sold in the
    United States at less than fair value . . . , or which benefit
    from subsidies provided by foreign governments.” Alle-
    gheny Ludlum Corp. v. United States, 
    287 F.3d 1365
    , 1368
    (Fed. Cir. 2002) (citing 19 U.S.C. § 1675b (2000)). This
    relief is sought by filing an antidumping or countervailing
    duty petition before the U.S. Department of Commerce
    (“Commerce”) and the U.S. International Trade Commis-
    sion (“Trade Commission”). Following the filing of such a
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                          3
    petition, Commerce determines whether sales of the
    investigated merchandise have been made at less than
    fair value (“dumping”) or whether a countervailable
    subsidy has been provided. 19 U.S.C. §§ 1673, 1671(a)(1).
    The Trade Commission determines whether the imported
    merchandise materially injures or threatens to materially
    injure the relevant domestic industry. 
    Id. §§ 1673d(b)(1),
    1671d(b)(1). If Commerce’s and the Trade Commission’s
    determinations are affirmative, Commerce issues an
    appropriate antidumping or countervailing duty order.
    
    Id. §§ 1673e(a),
    1671e(a).
    Commerce is charged with writing antidumping and
    countervailing duty orders that “include[] a description of
    the subject merchandise, in such detail as the administer-
    ing authority deems necessary.”          
    Id. §§ 1673e(a)(2),
    1671e(a)(2). The orders also provide the antidumping and
    countervailing duty margins that have been established
    in the course of the investigations. 
    Id. §§ 1673d(c)(1)(B),
    1673e(a)(1), 1671d(c)(1)(B), 1671e(a)(1).
    Once Commerce issues an antidumping or counter-
    vailing duty order, the United States Customs and Border
    Protection (“Customs”) applies and enforces the duty
    orders through the assessment and collection of anti-
    dumping and countervailing duties on imports of the
    investigated merchandise. 19 C.F.R. §§ 159.41, 159.47,
    351.211. When Customs determines a duty order covers
    entered merchandise, it suspends liquidation and notifies
    the importer of “determined or estimated” duties. 
    Id. § 159.58(a),
    (b). “Liquidation” is defined as “the final
    computation or ascertainment of duties on entries for
    consumption or drawback entries.” 
    Id. § 159.1.
        After the publication of the duty orders, if a question
    arises as to whether merchandise is encompassed by an
    order, an interested party may request a scope inquiry by
    Commerce to determine if a particular type of merchan-
    dise is within the class or kind of merchandise described
    4                           SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    in an existing duty order. See 19 C.F.R. § 351.225. Com-
    merce has the express authority to conduct a scope in-
    quiry and to clarify the scope of an unclear order pursuant
    to 19 C.F.R. § 351.225(a), and “should in the first instance
    decide whether an antidumping order covers particular
    products,” because “the order’s meaning and scope are
    issues particularly within the expertise of that agency.”
    Xerox Corp. v. United States, 
    289 F.3d 792
    , 795 (Fed. Cir.
    2002). Commerce’s scope rulings may be challenged
    before the Court of International Trade (“CIT”). 19 U.S.C.
    § 1516a(a)(2)(B)(vi).
    II.
    On October 19, 2011, Defendant-Appellant Solar-
    World America Inc. (“SolarWorld”) filed antidumping and
    countervailing duty petitions on imports of solar cells
    from the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). On Decem-
    ber 7, 2012, following antidumping and countervailing
    duty investigations by Commerce and the Trade Commis-
    sion, Commerce published antidumping and countervail-
    ing duty orders on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic
    cells imported from the PRC. Crystalline Silicon Photo-
    voltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled into Modules,
    from the People’s Republic of China: Countervailing Duty
    Order, 77 Fed. Reg. 73,017, 73,017 (Dec. 7, 2012); Crystal-
    line Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
    Into Modules, from the People’s Republic of China:
    Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair
    Value, and Antidumping Duty Order, 77 Fed. Reg. 73,018,
    73,018 (Dec. 7, 2012) (collectively, “CSPV Orders”).
    Commerce established antidumping duty margins at a
    PRC-wide rate of 249.96%, and a countervailing duty at
    the “all others” rate of 15.24% ad valorem. Commerce
    instructed Customs to require cash deposits or the posting
    of a bond equal to the margins and subsidy rates in effect
    at the time of entry on products covered by the CSPV
    Orders. The scope language of the CSPV Orders is identi-
    cal, and provides, in relevant part:
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                            5
    The merchandise covered by this order is crystal-
    line silicon photovoltaic cells, and modules, lami-
    nates, and panels, consisting of crystalline silicon
    photovoltaic cells, whether or not partially or fully
    assembled into other products, including, but not
    limited to, modules, laminates, panels and build-
    ing integrated materials.
    This order covers crystalline silicon photovoltaic
    cells of thickness equal to or greater than 20 mi-
    crometers, having a p/n junction formed by any
    means, whether or not the cell has undergone oth-
    er processing, including, but not limited to, clean-
    ing, etching, coating, and/or addition of materials
    (including, but not limited to, metallization and
    conductor patterns) to collect and forward the
    electricity that is generated by the cell.
    ....
    Excluded from the scope of this order are thin film
    photovoltaic products produced from amorphous
    silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or copper
    indium gallium selenide (CIGS).
    CSPV Orders, 77 Fed. Reg. at 73,017, 73,018–19. The
    CSPV Orders do not specifically define “thin film photo-
    voltaic products.”
    Plaintiff Sunpreme Inc. (“Sunpreme”) is a U.S. com-
    pany that imports solar modules produced by Jiawei
    Solarchina (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. that are composed, in
    part, of solar cells designed, developed, and tested at
    Sunpreme’s California facility. Sunpreme’s modules are
    made of “several layers of amorphous silicon less than one
    micron in thickness, deposited on both sides of a substrate
    consisting of a crystalline silicon wafer.” Appellee’s Br. 8.
    Sunpreme’s modules are bifacial, with amorphous silicon
    being deposited on both the top and bottom sides of a
    substrate, and are certified by TUV, a third-party product
    6                            SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    certification body, to be in compliance with the require-
    ments of IEC 61646, i.e. a thin film terrestrial photovolta-
    ic module. J.A. 1015; 1683–84. Prior to April 2015,
    Sunpreme’s solar modules were imported into the United
    States as entry type “01,” the designation for ordinary
    consumption entries not subject to any antidumping or
    countervailing duties.
    The United States maintains that Customs began to
    investigate whether Sunpreme’s imports may be subject
    to the CSPV orders in early 2015. See Sunpreme Inc. v.
    United States, 
    145 F. Supp. 3d
    . 1271, 1279 (Ct. Int’l Trade
    2016). In April 2015, Customs requested that Sunpreme
    file its entries under type “03,” the designation for entries
    subject to antidumping or countervailing duties. Customs
    suspended liquidation on the imports and required anti-
    dumping and countervailing duty cash deposits in con-
    formance with the duty margins provided in the CSPV
    Orders. 
    Id. at 1281
    n.6.
    In response, Sunpreme disputed Customs’ decision
    and provided information supporting its position that its
    solar module products were outside the scope of the CSPV
    Orders. 
    Id. at 1280–81.
    Sunpreme provided Customs
    with lab results from an independent third party identify-
    ing amorphous silicon thin film layers in Sunpreme’s
    solar modules, and invited Customs to its California
    facility to observe its production process. Sunpreme, 
    145 F. Supp. 3d
    at 1280–81. Customs also performed its own
    laboratory testing on Sunpreme’s products. 
    Id. Around April
    20, 2015, Sunpreme began making anti-
    dumping and countervailing cash deposits on its solar
    modules imports. On November 16, 2015, Sunpreme filed
    a request with Commerce for a scope ruling, challenging
    Customs’ decision that its imports were covered by the
    CSPV Orders. On December 30, 2015, Commerce initiat-
    ed a formal scope inquiry.
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                            7
    On December 8, 2015, twenty-two days before Com-
    merce initiated the formal scope inquiry, Sunpreme filed
    a complaint with the CIT, challenging Customs’ collection
    of cash deposits and suspension of liquidation and seeking
    a preliminary injunction to prevent Customs from collect-
    ing additional cash deposits. J.A. 102. In its complaint,
    Sunpreme contended that Customs “wrongly require[ed]
    [Sunpreme] to enter as subject to antidumping and coun-
    tervailing duties and pay cash deposits on, and suspend
    liquidation of, certain entries of solar modules.” J.A. 102.
    Sunpreme alleged that Customs acted ultra vires and
    exceeded its ministerial task of collecting antidumping
    and countervailing duties by interpreting the CSPV
    Orders to cover Sunpreme’s solar modules, despite that
    thin film products were expressly excluded from the
    coverage of the CSPV Orders.
    The United States concedes in its opening brief that
    Customs does not contest the presence of a thin film of
    amorphous silicon in Sunpreme’s products, but argues
    that the cells in Sunpreme’s products contained other
    characteristics described in the CSPV Orders, namely
    being a crystalline silicon composition greater than 20
    micrometers in thickness containing a p/n junction.
    United States’ Opening Br. 9, 18–19. Thus, in the gov-
    ernment’s view, “the presence of the thin film did not
    necessarily preclude the application of the orders because
    the scope of the orders provides that crystalline photovol-
    taic cells are included whether or not the cell ‘has under-
    gone other processing . . . and/or the addition of
    materials . . . to collect and forward the electricity that is
    generated by the cell.’” 
    Id. at 9–10
    (first citing CSPV
    Orders, 77 Fed. Reg. at 73,017–18; then citing Sunpreme
    Inc. v. United States, 
    190 F. Supp. 3d 1185
    , 1195–97 (Ct.
    Int’l Trade 2016)).
    The United States, together with intervenor Solar-
    World, moved to dismiss for lack of subject matter juris-
    diction on the grounds that Sunpreme had failed to
    8                            SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    exhaust its administrative remedies by not obtaining a
    scope ruling from Commerce prior to filing its complaint
    in the CIT. On December 14, 2015, the court granted
    Sunpreme’s application for a temporary restraining order,
    preventing the continued collection of estimated duty
    deposits. On January 8, 2016, the court issued a prelimi-
    nary injunction restraining Customs from collecting
    duties on future entries, finding that Sunpreme had
    shown irreparable harm from the financial hardship
    associated with paying the duties. Sunpreme, 145 F.
    Supp. 3d at 1294–98. The court also denied the motion to
    dismiss, concluding that subject matter jurisdiction
    existed under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(i). 
    Id. at 1290–91.
    On
    October 11, 2016, the court entered judgment for Sun-
    preme and ordered Customs to return cash deposits
    collected prior to the initiation of the scope inquiry, hold-
    ing that Customs acted outside its authority in its unilat-
    eral interpretation of the scope language of the CSPV
    Orders to include Sunpreme’s solar modules, and thus
    lacked authority to suspend liquidation and order cash
    deposits. 
    Sunpreme, 190 F. Supp. 3d at 1194
    , 1202–05.
    The United States and SolarWorld appeal. We have
    jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(5).
    In July of 2016, before entry of the CIT’s final judg-
    ment in this case, Commerce issued its final scope deter-
    mination concluding that Sunpreme’s products fall within
    the scope of the CSPV Orders. J.A. 1433. Sunpreme
    appeals that determination separately. See Sunpreme
    Inc. v. United States, 
    256 F. Supp. 3d 1265
    (Ct. Int’l Trade
    2017), appeal docketed, No. 18-1116 (Fed. Cir. Oct. 30,
    2017).
    DISCUSSION
    The primary issue on appeal is whether the CIT had
    jurisdiction over Sunpreme’s complaint.         We review
    jurisdictional rulings without deference. Trs. in Bankr. of
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                           9
    N. Am. Rubber Thread Co., Inc. v. United States, 
    593 F.3d 1346
    , 1351 (Fed. Cir. 2010).
    The CIT’s jurisdiction is governed by 28 U.S.C.
    § 1581. Relevant to this case are subsections (a), (c), and
    (i). Section 1581(a) grants the CIT jurisdiction over
    Customs’ denial of protests, and “provides no jurisdiction
    for protests outside the[] exclusive categories” listed in 19
    U.S.C. § 1514(a). Mitsubishi Elecs. Am., Inc. v. United
    States, 
    44 F.3d 973
    , 976 (Fed. Cir. 1994). Section 1581(c)
    grants the CIT jurisdiction to review Commerce’s scope
    ruling determinations. Section 1581(i) embodies a “resid-
    ual” grant of jurisdiction, and may not be invoked when
    jurisdiction under another subsection of § 1581 is or could
    have been available, unless the remedy provided under
    that other subsection would be manifestly inadequate.
    Fujitsu Gen. Am., Inc. v. United States, 
    283 F.3d 1364
    ,
    1371 (Fed. Cir. 2002). “[W]hen relief is prospectively and
    realistically available under another subsection of 1581,
    invocation of subsection (i) is incorrect.” Chemsol, LLC v.
    United States, 
    755 F.3d 1345
    , 1354 (Fed. Cir. 2014).
    Where another remedy is or could have been available,
    the party asserting § 1581(i) jurisdiction has the burden
    to show that the remedy would be manifestly inadequate.
    
    Id. at 1349.
        The CIT concluded that it lacked jurisdiction over
    Sunpreme’s claims under § 1581(a) or (c), but that it
    possessed the residual grant of jurisdiction under
    § 1581(i). Sunpreme, 
    145 F. Supp. 3d
    at 1290–92. The
    CIT’s determination that it lacked jurisdiction under
    § 1581(a) or (c) rested primarily on its reading of Sun-
    preme’s complaint as challenging Customs’ allegedly ultra
    vires decision that Sunpreme’s modules were subject to
    the CSPV Orders. 
    Id. at 1284
    (“The court finds [Sun-
    preme] is challenging [Customs’] unilateral interpretation
    of ambiguous scope language in excess of its authority.”).
    The CIT reasoned that “[w]here factual determinations
    alone do not permit [Customs] to determine whether a
    10                           SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    good is within the scope or outside the scope of the Or-
    ders, goods must be considered outside of the scope until
    Commerce clarifies or interprets the Orders and clarifies
    what products should be included.” 
    Id. at 1288.
    The CIT
    concluded that it lacked jurisdiction under § 1581(a)
    because such an ultra vires act by Customs does not
    qualify as a protestable decision under § 1514(a). 
    Id. at 1289–90.
    The CIT likewise found that review was una-
    vailable under § 1581(c), which only provides jurisdiction
    for scope ruling determinations by Commerce. 
    Id. at 1286.
    Having concluded that jurisdiction was unavailable
    under § 1581(a) or (c), the CIT determined that the resid-
    ual provision § 1581(i) provided jurisdiction over Sun-
    preme’s complaint that Customs “failed ‘to properly
    perform its ministerial function to apply the instructions
    Commerce issued to [Customs] relating to the Orders . . .’
    which ‘contain a specific, unqualified exclusion for thin
    film products.’” 
    Id. at 1290
    (second alteration in original).
    We disagree.
    We begin with § 1581(a). In Xerox, we held that
    where the scope of a duty order is “unambiguous and
    undisputed, and the goods clearly do not fall within the
    scope of the order,” Customs’ misapplication of the duty
    order is a protestable decision reviewable by the CIT
    under § 
    1581(a). 289 F.3d at 795
    . Here, the parties and
    the CIT recognize that since a dispute exists over the
    scope and application of the CSPV Orders, Customs’
    decision is not protestable and thus not subject to review
    under § 1581(a). See Sunpreme, 
    145 F. Supp. 3d
    at 1285;
    SolarWorld’s Opening Br. 18.
    The parties also recognize that § 1581(c) does not ap-
    ply in this case. Section 1581(c) provides jurisdiction over
    challenges to Commerce’s scope ruling determinations.
    Here, at the time Sunpreme filed its complaint in Decem-
    ber of 2015, Commerce had not yet issued a reviewable
    scope ruling determination. Since Sunpreme was not
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                          11
    challenging a scope ruling from Commerce, § 1581(c) does
    not apply.
    The CIT determined that it possessed subject matter
    jurisdiction under § 1581(i), the residual provision. We
    disagree and hold that the CIT lacked jurisdiction under
    § 1581(i) because there existed a remedy under another
    subsection that was not manifestly inadequate. Section
    1581(i) “may not be invoked when jurisdiction under
    another subsection of § 1581 is or could have been availa-
    ble, unless the remedy provided under that other subsec-
    tion would be manifestly inadequate.” Int’l Custom
    Prods., Inc. v. United States, 
    467 F.3d 1324
    , 1327 (Fed.
    Cir. 2006) (quoting Norcal/Crosetti Foods, Inc. v. United
    States, 
    963 F.2d 356
    , 359 (Fed. Cir. 1992)). Not only was
    jurisdiction available under another subsection of § 1581,
    namely subsection (c), Sunpreme was required to exhaust
    the administrative remedies available to it in the form of
    a scope ruling inquiry and scope ruling determination.
    The problem Sunpreme cannot overcome is that it failed
    to wait until it had a formal scope ruling in hand prior to
    filing suit.
    The doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies
    provides that judicial relief is not available for a supposed
    or threatened injury until the prescribed administrative
    remedy has been exhausted. Sandvik Steel Co. v. United
    States, 
    164 F.3d 596
    , 599 (Fed. Cir. 1998). When a ques-
    tion arises as to whether certain goods are within the
    scope of an antidumping duty order, importers should
    first seek a scope ruling from Commerce. 
    Id. at 598–99.
    This is because Commerce “should in the first instance
    decide whether an antidumping order covers particular
    products,” because “the order’s meaning and scope are
    issues particularly within the expertise of that agency.”
    
    Id. at 600;
    see also JCM, Ltd. v. United States, 
    210 F.3d 1357
    , 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (“To allow a party to elect to
    proceed under section 1581(i), without having first availed
    himself of the remedy provided by section 1581(c), would
    12                           SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    undermine the integrity of the clear path Congress in-
    tended a claimant to follow.”).
    When an importer disputes Customs’ application of an
    antidumping or countervailing duty order, the proper
    remedy is for the importer to seek a scope inquiry from
    Commerce, the result of which may subsequently be
    challenged before the CIT. See 19 U.S.C. § 1514(b) (stat-
    ing that Customs’ decisions on trade remedy orders are
    final and conclusive unless the importer files a complaint
    under 19 U.S.C. § 1516a, the statutory provision provid-
    ing for challenges to Commerce scope determinations). By
    filing a complaint with the CIT before obtaining a scope
    ruling, Sunpreme has circumvented the established
    administrative procedure for determining the scope of an
    antidumping or countervailing duty order. Permitting
    such circumventions would discourage importers from
    seeking scope rulings and undermine the remedial
    scheme established by Congress. See Nat’l Corn Growers
    Ass’n v. Baker, 
    840 F.2d 1547
    , 1558 (Fed. Cir. 1988)
    (holding that where Congress has prescribed a particular
    track for a claimant to follow, in administrative or judicial
    proceedings, and particularly when the claim is against
    the United States, the remedy will be exclusive).
    Sunpreme’s characterization of its appeal as challeng-
    ing Customs’ allegedly ultra vires action is unavailing.
    “[A] party may not expand a court’s jurisdiction by crea-
    tive pleading.” Norsk Hydro Can., Inc. v. United States,
    
    472 F.3d 1347
    , 1355 (Fed. Cir. 2006). Instead, “we look to
    the true nature of the action in the district court in de-
    termining jurisdiction of the appeal.” 
    Id. (quoting Wil-
    liams v. Sec’y of Navy, 
    787 F.2d 552
    , 557 (Fed. Cir. 1986)).
    Here, Sunpreme’s complaint indicates that it is seeking
    the refund of cash deposits, ceasing the suspension of
    liquidation for its entries, and preventing the collection of
    cash deposits and suspension of liquidation in the future.
    But this relief is the very relief associated with a scope
    ruling determination, which demonstrates that Sunpreme
    SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES                        13
    is in fact seeking a decision that its products are not
    subject to the scope of the orders. The appropriate reme-
    dy for this type of claim is to request a scope ruling from
    Commerce. 
    Sandvik, 164 F.3d at 598
    –99. Once an ad-
    verse scope ruling is obtained, a complaint may be filed
    with the CIT pursuant to that court’s jurisdiction under
    § 1581(c).
    We next consider whether that remedy was manifest-
    ly inadequate. Sunpreme argues that any remedy outside
    of § 1581(i) would cause significant financial hardship and
    therefore would be manifestly inadequate. Sunpreme’s
    Br. 42. This argument is without merit. This court’s
    cases make clear that mere allegations of financial harm
    do not render a remedy established by Congress manifest-
    ly inadequate. Int’l Custom 
    Prods., 467 F.3d at 1327
    . For
    example, we have noted that to be manifestly inadequate,
    the protest must be an “exercise in futility, or ‘incapable
    of producing any result; failing utterly of the desired end
    through intrinsic defect; useless, ineffectual, vain.’”
    Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. United States, 
    544 F.3d 1289
    ,
    1294 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (emphasis omitted) (citing Int’l
    Custom 
    Prods., 467 F.3d at 1328
    ). Nor can delay serve as
    the basis for manifest inadequacy; “delays inherent in the
    statutory process do not render it manifestly inadequate.”
    Int’l Custom 
    Prods., 467 F.3d at 1327
    .
    Sunpreme has not demonstrated that obtaining a
    scope ruling would have been an exercise in futility,
    useless or incapable of producing the result it seeks.
    Here, requiring Sunpreme to exhaust the administrative
    remedies would hardly deprive Sunpreme of the oppor-
    tunity for full relief. Had Commerce concluded that
    Sunpreme’s modules were out of scope, Customs would
    have lifted the suspension of liquidation on Sunpreme’s
    entries and refunded any cash deposits. See 19 C.F.R.
    § 351.225(l)(3). The statute does not prohibit, and the
    14                          SUNPREME INC.   v. UNITED STATES
    pertinent regulations clearly contemplate, that Customs
    can suspend liquidation pre-scope inquiry. 1 In this case,
    the suspension of liquidation mitigates the long-term
    effect of any alleged financial hardship to Sunpreme by
    ensuring the return of cash deposits pending the merits of
    its scope dispute.
    CONCLUSION
    Jurisdiction under § 1581(i) may not be invoked when
    jurisdiction under any other subsection is or could have
    been available. Sunpreme was required to exhaust its
    administrative remedies by seeking a scope ruling from
    Commerce, which it could have subsequently challenged
    under § 1581(c) had the ruling been unfavorable. The
    remedy under § 1581(c) cannot, in this case, be said to be
    manifestly inadequate such that it provides the CIT with
    jurisdiction to hear the present action under § 1581(i).
    Accordingly, the judgment of the CIT is reversed.
    REVERSED
    COSTS
    No costs.
    1  Section 351.225(l)(1) provides that when a scope
    inquiry is initiated “and the product in question is already
    subject to suspension of liquidation, that suspension of
    liquidation will be continued” pending the results of the
    scope inquiry. 19 C.F.R. § 351.225(l)(1) (emphasis added).
    Should Commerce conclude that the product in question is
    not included within the scope of the order, suspension of
    liquidation on the product is ended and Commerce will
    order Customs to refund any cash deposits or release any
    related bonds. “If the Secretary initiates a scope inquiry,
    any prior suspension of liquidation is continued until the
    administrative proceeding is concluded.” Sandvik 
    Steel, 164 F.3d at 599
    (citing 19 C.F.R. § 351.225(l)).