State & Local
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October 30, 2024
Mich. Judges Reject Interest For Unclaimed Property Returns
A Michigan appellate panel overturned a trial court Tuesday that admitted it was going against the grain by requiring the state to pay interest when it returns seemingly abandoned property, with appellate judges finding state statute was comprehensive enough to supersede the common law idea that "interest follows principal."
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October 30, 2024
Federal Deference Ruling May Mean Less State Tax Guidance
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that killed the doctrine known as Chevron deference does not have a direct effect on states, but indirect effects could include that of state tax agencies issuing less guidance, panelists said Wednesday.
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October 30, 2024
Texas Justices Quiz Sales Tax Break For Private Prison Co.
Texas Supreme Court justices questioned Wednesday whether a private prison operator is eligible to receive a sales tax exemption granted to governmental entities, mulling over whether the company functions as an agency or instrumentality of the state.
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October 30, 2024
Pa. Authorizes Settlement Process To Resolve Tax Disputes
Pennsylvania empowered the state Board of Finance and Revenue to oversee a formal settlement process to resolve taxpayer disputes and extended the deadline for taxpayers to appeal personal income tax assessments from the state Department of Revenue under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.
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October 30, 2024
Va. Amusement Park Wins Property Tax Refund For Rides
A Virginia amusement park owner is owed refunds of business property tax payments, the state's tax commissioner said, agreeing with the owner that rides and other assets at the park were fixed to real property and not subject to the tax.
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October 30, 2024
NJ Cannabis Commission Delays Increasing Excise Fee
The New Jersey commission that regulates cannabis will not immediately increase the state's social equity excise fee and will instead decide at a later meeting whether to increase the fee, the commission voted on Wednesday.
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October 30, 2024
Real Estate Tax Ballot Initiatives To Watch
Next week, voters in seven states will be weighing in on a variety of real estate tax ballot initiatives, including various measures that would provide additional property tax relief to veterans.
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October 30, 2024
Ohio Justices Say Attorney In Prison Should Not Be Disbarred
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that an attorney in federal prison for his participation in a tax fraud scheme should not be disbarred, and should have a chance to reapply for his law license in the future
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October 30, 2024
Va. Tax Boss Orders 2nd Look At Co.'s Bank Card Tax Break
Virginia auditors must take a closer look at a company's sales of debit and credit cards to better evaluate whether the cards were exempt from tax as property to be resold to final customers, the state's tax commissioner said.
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October 30, 2024
Va. Biz Wrongly Collected Sales Tax, Commissioner Rules
A Virginia fabricator of products for construction erroneously collected and remitted sales tax on property it installed in real estate and may seek a credit, but it owes sales tax on its purchases from vendors, the Virginia tax commissioner said.
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October 29, 2024
NJ Panel Rejects Man's Ability To Contest Newark Tax Break
A New Jersey resident doesn't have standing to challenge Newark's tax abatement awarded to a property developer because he doesn't live or own property in the city, a state appeals panel ruled Tuesday.
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October 29, 2024
Investments In Energy Tax Credit Boom Could Draw IRS' Eye
The 2022 climate law's green energy tax incentives sparked a surge of big-ticket development projects nationwide, and tax practitioners expect that the investments could be subject to intense scrutiny from the IRS amid a crackdown on abusive schemes in other areas.
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October 29, 2024
Ex-Cleveland Councilman Can't Cut 6-Year Fraud Sentence
An Ohio federal judge will not allow a former Cleveland city councilman to get out of jail on compassionate release, ruling the ex-politician "has never demonstrated any remorse for his criminal conduct" and should serve the remainder of his six-year fraud sentence.
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October 29, 2024
Rimon Adds International Tax Expert In Philadelphia
Rimon PC has added an expert in international tax and trusts and estates who joined the firm's Philadelphia office after working for his own practice.
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October 29, 2024
Vt. Revenue Through Sept. Rises $53M From Last Year
Vermont's total general fund revenue from July through September beat last year's total for that period by $53 million, according to a report by the state Agency of Administration.
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October 29, 2024
Maine Revenue Through Sept. Up $132M From Estimate
Maine's general revenue collection through the first three months of its fiscal year outpaced an estimate by $132 million, according to a report by the state Department of Administrative Financial Services.
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October 28, 2024
No COVID Property Tax Break For Hotels, Wash. Court Told
Hotels in Washington state should not get property tax breaks for COVID-19 because the pandemic was not a natural disaster that allows relief, the assessor of the state's most populous county told a state court.
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October 28, 2024
Ind. Tax Board Cuts Target Store's Assessment By $500K
An Indiana Target's property tax assessment should be lowered by roughly $500,000 for three tax years, the state Board of Tax Review said, finding the retailer's income capitalization approach to the valuation persuasive.
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October 28, 2024
Ind. Tax Board Denies Exemption For Undeveloped Property
A religious organization in Indiana cannot claim a property exemption for a property to be developed because it was unable to show substantial progress toward the completion of the building, the state Board of Tax Review said.
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October 28, 2024
Ind. Tax Board Orders Vacant Land Be Reassessed
An Indiana property valued as vacant land should be reassessed, the state Board of Tax Review said, and the property should be considered nontillable agricultural land.
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October 28, 2024
Tenn. ALJ Boosts Home's Tax Value By A Third
A Tennessee administrative law judge boosted a home's tax value by more than one-third after siding with a local assessor's office that brought a counterclaim against an appeal by the home's owners, who sought a lower figure.
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October 25, 2024
Hawkins Delafield Career Atty Moves To Nixon Peabody In SF
Nixon Peabody LLP hired a Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP partner who has spent his entire legal career with that firm working on public finance tax matters and a range of other tax-related matters, the firm has announced.
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October 25, 2024
Pa. House Advances State Bill To Protect Crypto Payments
Pennsylvania's House of Representatives advanced a bill that would codify businesses' and individuals' ability to accept digital assets as payment, maintain personal control over their digital assets and protect them from additional taxes when paying in crypto.
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October 25, 2024
NJ Bill Seeks Sales Tax Break For Energy-Saving Products
New Jersey would exempt retail sales of energy-saving products and services from sales and use tax under a bill introduced in the state Assembly.
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October 25, 2024
Wis. Tax Commission Rules Income Refund Appeal Untimely
A Wisconsin resident was correctly denied an income tax refund as it was filed outside the state's four-year statute of limitations, the state Tax Appeals Commission said in an order released Friday.
Issues Raised In Wayfair Still Top Targets For Litigation
Though Wayfair was decided more than six years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court, challenges centered on key issues of the case involving the taxation of remote sellers are still going strong, panelists said Tuesday.
States Should Cede Profit-Shifting Fight To OECD, Atty Says
States should shy away from using mandatory worldwide combined reporting to address profit shifting and instead allow the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to police tax avoidance from multinational corporations, a business trade group attorney said Tuesday.
La. Special Session To Address Gov.'s Tax Overhaul Proposals
Louisiana's governor called for the state Legislature to meet for a special session to overhaul the state's tax code, asking legislators on Monday to consider a series of proposals that include ending the corporate franchise tax and adopting a flat corporate income tax.
Issues Raised In Wayfair Still Top Targets For Litigation
Though Wayfair was decided more than six years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court, challenges centered on key issues of the case involving the taxation of remote sellers are still going strong, panelists said Tuesday.
States Should Cede Profit-Shifting Fight To OECD, Atty Says
States should shy away from using mandatory worldwide combined reporting to address profit shifting and instead allow the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to police tax avoidance from multinational corporations, a business trade group attorney said Tuesday.
La. Special Session To Address Gov.'s Tax Overhaul Proposals
Louisiana's governor called for the state Legislature to meet for a special session to overhaul the state's tax code, asking legislators on Monday to consider a series of proposals that include ending the corporate franchise tax and adopting a flat corporate income tax.
Editor's Pick
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Law360 Will Track 2024 Ballot Measures On Real-Time Map
As citizens across the country weigh in on federal, state and local elections this November, Law360's 2024 ballot measure map will track election results for tax-related ballot measures in real time. Here, Law360 dives into what's on the ballots in Georgia, Nevada, Wyoming and Denver.
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Law360 Revenue Report Map Tracks Health Of State Coffers
As state coffers fluctuate because of federal pandemic aid drying up, demographics shifting and remote work becoming commonplace, Law360 Tax Authority is providing up-to-date coverage on state tax revenue with the launch of its Revenue Report Map.
Featured Stories
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Real Estate Tax Ballot Initiatives To Watch
Next week, voters in seven states will be weighing in on a variety of real estate tax ballot initiatives, including various measures that would provide additional property tax relief to veterans.
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Investments In Energy Tax Credit Boom Could Draw IRS' Eye
The 2022 climate law's green energy tax incentives sparked a surge of big-ticket development projects nationwide, and tax practitioners expect that the investments could be subject to intense scrutiny from the IRS amid a crackdown on abusive schemes in other areas.
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New ABA Tax Chair-Elect Aims To Expand Leadership Paths
The new chair-elect of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation told Law360 that she wants to broaden the pathways to leadership for members, including those early in their careers, as part of the section's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Here, Megan Brackney shares more about her background and goals for the section.
Expert Analysis
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How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment
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Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.
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Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity
Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.
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Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules
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The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.
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The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO
The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.
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How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program
During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.
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Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer
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Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.
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Sound Ideas And An Ill-Advised Gamble: SALT In Review
From potential reforms in Louisiana to tax incentives for a gambling company in Colorado, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Use The Right Kind Of Feedback To Help Gen Z Attorneys
Generation Z associates bring unique perspectives and expectations to the workplace, so it’s imperative that supervising attorneys adapt their feedback approach in order to help young lawyers learn and grow — which is good for law firms, too, says Rachael Bosch at Fringe Professional Development.
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Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code
As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.
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Pop Culture Docket: Justice Lebovits On Gilbert And Sullivan
Characters in the 19th century comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan break the rules of good lawyering by shamelessly throwing responsible critical thought to the wind, providing hilarious lessons for lawyers and judges on how to avoid a surfeit of traps and tribulations, say acting New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Lebovits and law student Tara Scown.
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State Of The States' AI Legal Ethics Landscape
Over the past year, several state bar associations, as well as the American Bar Association, have released guidance on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in legal practice, all of which share overarching themes and some nuanced differences, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law Group.
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8 Childhood Lessons That Can Help You Be A Better Attorney
A new school year is underway, marking a fitting time for attorneys to reflect on some fundamental life lessons from early childhood that offer a framework for problems that no legal textbook can solve, say Chris Gismondi and Chris Campbell at DLA Piper.
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This Election, We Need To Talk About Court Process
In recent decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has markedly transformed judicial processes — from summary judgment standards to notice pleadings — which has, in turn, affected individuals’ substantive rights, and we need to consider how the upcoming presidential election may continue this pattern, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.