---
kind: "section"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 2641"
title: "28"
title_heading: "Judiciary and Judicial Procedure"
number: "2641"
heading: "Witnesses; inspection of documents"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/28/2641"
units:
  - "Part VI — Particular Proceedings"
  - "Chapter 169 — Court of International Trade Procedure"
---

# §2641. Witnesses; inspection of documents

- (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, in any civil action in the [Court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) of International Trade, each party and its counsel shall have an opportunity to introduce evidence, to hear and cross-examine the witnesses of the other party, and to inspect all samples and papers admitted or offered as evidence, as prescribed by the rules of the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2). Except as provided in [section 2639 of this title](/usc/28/2639.md), [subsection (b)](#b) of this section, or the rules of the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2), the Federal Rules of Evidence shall apply to all civil actions in the [Court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) of International Trade.
- (b) The [Court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) of International Trade may order that trade secrets and commercial or financial information which is privileged and confidential, or any information provided to the [United States](/usc/28/3002.md?p=15) by any foreign government or foreign [person](/usc/28/3002.md?p=10), may be disclosed to a party, its counsel, or any other [person](/usc/28/3002.md?p=10) under such terms and conditions as the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) may order.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–417, title III, § 301, Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1737.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Federal Rules of Evidence, referred to in subsec. (a), are set out in the Appendix to this title.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 2641, act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 982, authorized the Customs Court to assess a penalty of not less than $5 nor more than $250 against any person filing a frivolous protest or appeal, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 121, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 281.