U.S. judge to meet parties on Donald Trump-tariff refunds in closed-door 'settlement conference'

U.S. Judge Richard Eaton will hold a closed-door “settlement conference” with government lawyers on March 6, 2026, to determine a process for refunding up to $175 billion in tariffs collected under President Donald Trump that were recently ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The court’s decision overturned a key element of Trump’s economic policy, but provided no guidance on how to handle the refunds, leading to concerns about a potentially complex process. Judge Eaton has directed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to use its existing internal process to begin issuing refunds to potentially hundreds of thousands of importers, and anticipates a solution that avoids extensive litigation. The case originated with Atmus Filtration Inc., which paid $11 million in illegal tariffs, but the judge’s order applies to all importers. Other importers, like VOS Selections and Learning Resources, have requested their cases be transferred to Judge Eaton, hoping for a swift and efficient refund process, particularly given that the majority of affected businesses are small and fear costly legal battles.

(Source：The Hindu)