FedEx Class Action, Customers Sue to Recover Import Duties Declared Unlawful by the Supreme Court

A proposed class action lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami, Florida, seeks compensation for potentially millions of shippers who paid import duties and related fees on products that should have entered the United States duty-free. The legal action follows a February 20, 2026, Supreme Court decision, in a 6-3 ruling, that found President Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when he imposed the tariffs. No settlement has been reached. The case is in active litigation.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Case Name	Reiser v. Federal Express Corporation, et al.
Court	U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami Division)
Date Filed	February 27, 2026
Defendant	Federal Express Corporation; FedEx Logistics, Inc.
Lead Plaintiff	Matthew Reiser, Miami, Florida
Alleged Violation	Unjust enrichment; money had and received; breach of contract; declaratory relief — arising from collection of tariff duties declared unlawful by the U.S. Supreme Court
Products / Services Affected	Any imported goods classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) subheadings with a Column 1-General duty rate of “Free,” shipped via FedEx between February 4, 2025 and February 24, 2026
Geographic Scope	Nationwide (U.S.)
Settlement	None — litigation phase only
Claim Form Available	No
Plaintiffs’ Attorneys	John Yanchunis, Morgan & Morgan; Clay M. Townsend

Current Status & What Happens Next

• The complaint was filed on February 27, 2026, as Case No. 1:26-cv-21328 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and assigned to Judge Jacqueline Becerra. The case is in its earliest stage — no answer or motion to dismiss has been filed by FedEx as of March 23, 2026.
• Multiple parallel lawsuits have been filed against FedEx and UPS in federal district courts in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, also seeking repayment of IEEPA duties, interest, and related costs. The Miami case is one of the highest-profile actions and seeks nationwide class coverage.
• FedEx has filed its own separate lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection to recover the duties it paid to the government. Whether any refunds FedEx obtains flow back to consumers is the central dispute this class action seeks to resolve.
• This page will be updated as the case develops.

What Is the FedEx Import Duties Lawsuit About?

Between February 2025 and February 2026, President Trump used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — a Cold War-era law designed for financial emergencies — to impose sweeping tariffs on imported goods from dozens of countries. FedEx, acting as a customs broker and importer of record for consumer shipments, collected those tariff charges directly from customers before releasing their packages.

On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down these tariffs, holding that “IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs,” in a case called Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, Nos. 24-1287 & 25-250. That ruling made every dollar collected under the IEEPA tariff regime legally void — retroactively. The question this lawsuit raises is simple: now that those tariffs are gone, who pays consumers back?

Plaintiff Matthew Reiser, represented by Morgan & Morgan, filed the class action complaint in Florida Southern District Court on February 27, 2026, on behalf of potentially millions of U.S. consumers who imported duty-free goods and were charged IEEPA tariff duties and related fees by FedEx. The lawsuit argues that FedEx’s informal promise to issue refunds is not legally binding and that only a court order can ensure consumers are made whole.

Related article: Frito-Lay Recalls Miss Vickie’s Spicy Dill Pickle Chips Over Milk Allergen Risk

What Does the Lawsuit Allege?

The complaint alleges that for products classified under HTSUS subheadings with a Column 1-General duty rate of “Free,” no duty would have been assessed under any lawful tariff authority. The IEEPA tariff was the sole source of duty liability, and every dollar of duties and associated brokerage fees FedEx collected on such shipments is directly attributable to what the complaint calls the void tariff regime.

Reiser claimed FedEx charged him an additional $36 fee — including $21 for IEEPA duties and $15 in ancillary brokerage and clearance fees — for his purchase of tennis shoes from a German retailer. He argued the ancillary brokerage and clearance fees would not have been charged at all if the unlawful IEEPA tariffs had never been imposed. According to the complaint, those fees remain unlawful charges even if FedEx refunds the base duty amount.

According to the complaint, FedEx billed consumers for IEEPA tariff duties but was “merely facilitating” payment of duties. “The consumer bore the economic burden of the tariff, not FedEx,” Reiser said in the complaint. “FedEx is a conduit that advances the duty to CBP and then collects reimbursement from the consumer.” The lawsuit further alleges that FedEx is now seeking a refund of those same duties from the government — money that the plaintiff argues belongs to consumers, not FedEx.

What Laws Were Allegedly Violated?

The complaint cites the following legal theories and statutes. Each provides a different basis for demanding FedEx return the collected charges:

• Unjust Enrichment (common law): Prohibits a party from retaining money it has no legal right to keep — here, import duties collected under a tariff authority the Supreme Court has since declared void
• Money Had and Received (common law): A related claim requiring FedEx to return funds it collected from consumers that were never legally owed in the first place
• Breach of Contract (common law): Alleges FedEx violated its shipping contracts by charging consumers for fees tied to unlawful government tariffs and by failing to refund those charges
• Class Action Fairness Act (28 U.S.C. § 1332(d)(2)): The basis for federal court jurisdiction — the aggregate amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000 and the class spans multiple states
• Declaratory Judgment Act (28 U.S.C. § 2201): Allows the court to formally declare whether FedEx has a legal obligation to return collected duties and fees to consumers — even if FedEx receives a government refund

Who Does This Lawsuit Affect?

• You may be affected if you received a package via FedEx between February 4, 2025 and February 24, 2026 that was imported from outside the United States
• You may be affected if FedEx charged you import duties, tariff fees, or customs clearance fees in connection with that shipment
• You may be affected if the goods you imported fall under a HTSUS subheading with a Column 1-General duty rate of “Free” — meaning they would have entered the U.S. duty-free under normal tariff rules
• You may be affected if your goods included electronics, electrical equipment, sporting goods, footwear, certain apparel, scientific and medical instruments, machinery, or other manufactured products — as a substantial proportion of these commonly imported consumer goods carry a zero Column 1-General duty rate
• You may be affected if FedEx charged you ancillary brokerage or customs clearance fees that would not have applied but for the IEEPA tariffs
• You may be affected regardless of your state of residence, as the lawsuit seeks to represent a nationwide class of U.S. consumers

No action is required right now. Save any FedEx shipping invoices, emails, or receipts that reference import charges, tariff fees, or customs clearance fees — these may matter if a settlement is reached.

What Is FedEx Saying?

FedEx has issued a public statement directly addressing the tariff refund issue. FedEx said: “If refunds are issued to FedEx, we will issue refunds to the shippers and consumers who originally bore those charges.”

FedEx stated that when those refunds will happen, and the exact process for requesting and issuing them, will depend in part on future guidance from the government and the court. FedEx has not admitted any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit directly challenges whether FedEx’s statement amounts to a legal commitment. The lawsuit claims FedEx’s promise to issue refunds is not legally enforceable. Plaintiff’s attorney John Yanchunis stated the goal is to return every dollar that was improperly charged to American consumers. The court — not FedEx’s voluntary pledge — will ultimately determine the company’s legal obligations to its customers.

What Happens Next?

• FedEx files its response: FedEx must respond to the complaint, either by answering or filing a motion to dismiss. Given the IEEPA ruling’s broad scope, the company may challenge the specific legal theories rather than the underlying facts.
• FedEx’s own refund case proceeds in parallel: FedEx has filed its own complaint in the U.S. Court of International Trade seeking a full refund of all IEEPA duties it paid to the government. The outcome of that case will directly affect how much money FedEx could potentially return to consumers.
• Discovery phase: Both sides will exchange evidence about how FedEx calculated, collected, and accounted for IEEPA tariff charges — and whether it has already taken steps to segregate consumer refunds.
• Class certification hearing: The plaintiff must ask the court to certify a nationwide class. If granted, potentially millions of FedEx customers could automatically become class members without filing individual claims.
• Settlement or trial: If the court certifies the class and FedEx fails to secure a dismissal, settlement negotiations become likely. Given the early stage of this case and the parallel government refund action, a resolution may still be 18 to 24 months away.

This page will be updated as the case develops.

Important Case Dates

Milestone	Date
IEEPA Tariffs First Imposed	February 4, 2025
Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA Tariffs	February 20, 2026
FedEx Files CIT Refund Complaint	February 23, 2026
Class Action Lawsuit Filed	February 27, 2026
Defendant Answer Due	TBD
Discovery Period	TBD
Class Certification Hearing	TBD
Trial Date (if set)	TBD
Settlement (if reached)	TBD

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the FedEx import duties lawsuit real and legitimate?

Yes. The case, Reiser v. Federal Express Corporation, et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-21328, was filed on February 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and assigned to Judge Jacqueline Becerra. It is an active federal court filing. You can verify the docket through CourtListener or the federal PACER system.

Can I file a claim against FedEx right now?

 No. This lawsuit has no settlement and no claim form yet. It is in the early litigation phase. If the court certifies a class and a settlement is later reached, a formal claims process will open. Preserve all FedEx invoices and emails referencing import charges in the meantime.

Do I need a lawyer to join this lawsuit? 

No individual action is required at this stage. If the court certifies a nationwide class, eligible consumers will typically be included automatically. You may later choose to opt out to pursue an individual claim, but you do not need to hire an attorney to remain part of the class.

What happens if the case settles?

 If a settlement is reached and the court approves it, a settlement administrator will notify class members — likely by email — with instructions on how to file a claim. The amount each person receives would depend on the settlement terms and the total number of valid claims submitted.

Will I get notified if there is a settlement? 

If a class is certified and a settlement is approved, courts require reasonable notice to all class members. You may receive notice by email or mail. Checking FedEx shipping records to confirm your contact information is on file, and monitoring this article for updates, are both practical steps.

What exactly is the IEEPA, and why does it matter here? 

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act is a federal law that gives the President authority to regulate international commerce during a national emergency. The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision on February 20, 2026, that this law did not authorize the President to impose tariffs. That ruling means every tariff charge collected under IEEPA authority was legally void — and the lawsuit argues consumers who paid those charges through FedEx are entitled to refunds.

What types of imported goods are covered by this lawsuit? 

A substantial proportion of commonly imported consumer goods carry a zero Column 1-General duty rate — including electronics, electrical equipment, sporting goods, certain apparel and footwear, scientific and medical instruments, machinery, and numerous other manufactured products. If FedEx charged you import duties on any of these categories between February 4, 2025 and February 24, 2026, you may fall within the proposed class.

FedEx says it will refund customers. Why is this lawsuit still necessary? 

The lawsuit claims FedEx’s promise to issue refunds is not legally enforceable. Without a court order, there is no mechanism requiring FedEx to return the money, no guaranteed timeline, and no process ensuring every affected consumer receives their share — including those charged ancillary brokerage and clearance fees that the complaint argues are separately unlawful.

Sources & References

• Reiser v. Federal Express Corporation, Case No. 1:26-cv-21328 — CourtListener Docket

Last Updated: March 23, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.