Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
Supreme Court Defers to State Law on Ownership of Tax Refund
Federal courts should "turn to state law to resolve" a "fight over a tax refund," held a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 25, 2020. Rodriquez v. FDIC (In re United W Bancorp., Inc.), 589 U.S. ___, 2020 WL 889191 (Feb. 25, 2020). Vacating a Tenth Circuit decision, the Supreme Court remanded the case for the lower court to apply state law in resolving "the distribution of a consolidated corporate tax refund." The bankruptcy trustee of a bank holding company was litigating against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as receiver for the subsidiary bank that had incurred losses generating the refund. According the Supreme Court, it was not deciding "[w]ho is right about all this …." Id. at 4. Instead, the Court rejected the Tenth Circuit's application of the Ninth Circuit's so‑called Bob Richards rule. In re Bob Richards Chrysler‑Plymouth Corp., 473 F.2d 262, 265 (9th Cir. 1973) (in absence of tax allocation agreement, refund belongs to group member responsible for losses that led to it). In so doing, the Supreme Court rejected the Bob Richards rule as inappropriate federal "common lawmaking."
Relevance
The Supreme Court granted certiorari in Rodriguez not only to resolve a split among the circuits, but also "to decide Bob Richard's fate." Id. 3. As it evolved over time, Bob Richards supplied a federal common law rule that, absent a clear agreement to the contrary, tax refunds belong to a taxpayer group member responsible for the losses that led to the refund.
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
- Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
- Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.
Warehouse Liability: Know Before You Stow!
As consumers continue to shift purchasing and consumption habits in the aftermath of the pandemic, manufacturers are increasingly reliant on third-party logistics and warehousing to ensure their products timely reach the market.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.