Limited Exclusion Order (LEO)

Definition

A Limited Exclusion Order is a Section 337 remedy at the US International Trade Commission that excludes infringing articles imported by specifically named respondents. Unlike a General Exclusion Order, an LEO only stops the named importers — other parties can theoretically continue importing the same product if they were not respondents in the underlying USITC investigation. LEOs are the most common Section 337 remedy. They are enforced by CBP at entry, typically with a respondent-specific entry-block flag in the CBP system. An LEO can be paired with a Cease and Desist Order to also bar in-country sales of articles already imported.