Category: Tax Litigation

Okay United States v. Nolen is yet another fascinating case (this case will probably make it into the criminal procedure books used in law schools). Nolen addresses the issue as to whether a tax protester has a Sixth Amendment right to choose his own attorney, even if the attorney, unfortunately, insults the court. Facts &… Continue reading Tax Protestor has Constitutional Right to Choose his Tax Attorney

Even the IRS sometimes forgets that it has the burden to prove that a taxpayer earned more income than reported. The Allman v. Commissioner case provides an example of what happens where the IRS attorney shows up to court with no evidence of additional income. Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer worked as an employee for… Continue reading The IRS Has the Burden of Proof for Items of Income

I often hear criminal attorneys say that they always have a good chance to win state criminal cases, but they are almost never able to win in federal criminal cases. The idea seems to be that federal agencies spend a lot more time and effort preparing and gathering evidence against the accused than do state… Continue reading State vs. Federal Tax Court Litigation

Judicial opinions often include sentences that misstate the law. Often these sentences will be picked up by the IRS (and sometimes even taxpayers) years later to support arguments that courts should depart from the law. For example, this quote comes from the District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Johnson Home Care… Continue reading Judicial Misstatement: Intentional, Error or Oversight?

Clients often ask me whether the IRS takes steps to slant the facts and law in the governments favor. I often explain that, as with most legal matters, there is really no right or wrong answer until the court makes a final determination and all appeals are exhausted. But when I say this I often… Continue reading IRS Rejects Court Orders, Law and Logic: Modus Operandi or Isolated Case?

The U.S. Tax Court provides a forum for contesting tax assessments and for certain collection matters.  It is the only forum that allows taxpayers to maintain litigation without first paying the tax, etc. that is in dispute.  For many taxpayers, it is the only forum that is available.  This is why it is important for… Continue reading Supreme Court Questions U.S. Tax Court’s Rule Violations