Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Online Retailers Lose Challenge to New York's Internet Tax

By Shari Claire Lewis

In a case that has far-reaching ramifications because of the exponential expansion of cyberspace in general, and because of the growth of e-commerce in particular, the New York Court of Appeals has rejected challenges by two major online retailers to New York's 'Internet tax,' which requires collection of a sales tax on online purchases made by New York residents. See , N.Y. Tax Law '1101(b)(8)(vi).

The court, in Overstock.com v. New York State Dept. of Taxation & Fin. , No. 33 (N.Y. March 28, 2013), was not persuaded by arguments by Amazon.com and Overstock.com that the New York Internet tax was unconstitutional on its face. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately may have the opportunity to opine on the constitutionality of the tax, but for now, the New York Court of Appeals' decision will allow the state to continue to collect the Internet tax from online retailers.

Read These Next
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Judge Rules Shaquille O'Neal Will Face Securities Lawsuit for Promotion, Sale of NFTs Image

A federal district court in Miami, FL, has ruled that former National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal will have to face a lawsuit over his promotion of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency tokens and that he was a "seller" of these unregistered securities.

Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners Image

Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.

Coverage Issues Stemming from Dry Cleaner Contamination Suits Image

In recent years, there has been a growing number of dry cleaners claiming to be "organic," "green," or "eco-friendly." While that may be true with respect to some, many dry cleaners continue to use a cleaning method involving the use of a solvent called perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc. And, there seems to be an increasing number of lawsuits stemming from environmental problems associated with historic dry cleaning operations utilizing this chemical.