State & Local
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May 16, 2024
Colo. To Charge Oil, Gas Fees Based On Spot Prices
Colorado will levy new fees on oil and gas producers based on the spot price of a barrel of oil or natural gas under legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 16, 2024
CBRE Biz's Software Liable For NY Sales Tax, Judge Rules
A facilities management business owned by CBRE is liable for New York sales tax on its bundled services, which included sales of prewritten software, an administrative law judge said in a determination released Thursday.
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May 16, 2024
Iowa To Give Tax Break For Gains From Livestock Sales
Iowa taxpayers that make more than half of their income from farming will be able to exclude the capital gains from sales of cattle or horses from income under a bill signed by the governor.
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May 16, 2024
Ohio House Panel OKs Sales Tax Change For Delivery Cos.
Companies that deliver goods in Ohio would be able to obtain a waiver to opt out of being considered a seller in order to avoid double taxation under a bill approved by the state House Ways and Means Committee.
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May 16, 2024
BCLP Sues St. Louis Over City Taxes On Partners' Income
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP is suing St. Louis, Missouri, after the Midwestern city accused the firm of being delinquent on nearly $275,000 in earnings taxes, contending the municipality unlawfully taxed partners who don't live in the city, according to its court filing.
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May 16, 2024
Okla. Revenue Through April Beat Estimates By $285M
Oklahoma's general revenue collection from July through April exceeded budget forecasts by $285 million, according to a monthly report by the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services.
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May 16, 2024
Miss. Revenue Collection Through April Up $51M
Mississippi revenue collection from July through April was up $51 million from last fiscal year, according to a monthly report by the state Department of Revenue.
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May 16, 2024
Biden Admin Proposes To Loosen Restrictions On Marijuana
President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that his administration has formally recommended relaxing restrictions on marijuana, marking the most significant federal policy shift on cannabis since the drug was criminalized more than 50 years ago.
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May 15, 2024
State Digital Goods Sourcing Proposal Clears Early Hurdle
States could apply the highest, lowest or a blended state and local tax rate inside a five-digit ZIP code area to sales of digital goods when buyers aren't required to provide their full address under a proposal given preliminary approval Wednesday by the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board.
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May 15, 2024
Minn. Tax Court OKs Trim To Restaurant Property's Value
A Minnesota restaurant property should have its valuation lowered after the property owner provided a more reliable appraisal report, the state Tax Court ruled.
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May 15, 2024
Md. Tax Court Affirms Denial Of Credit For Townhouses
A Maryland real estate developer was correctly denied a tax credit for townhouses built in Baltimore, as the credit is limited to certain multifamily buildings, the state tax court ruled.
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May 15, 2024
Colo. Will Extend Property Tax Assessment Rate Cuts
Colorado will extend its current temporary property tax rate reductions into 2024 and will lower tax rates for future years under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 15, 2024
Pardoned NJ Atty Suspended Over Tax, Fraud Convictions
A former Gilmore & Monahan PA partner — who was convicted of failing to pay payroll taxes and lying on a loan application, and was pardoned by then-President Donald Trump — has received a two-year suspension from practicing law in New Jersey, though it will be largely offset by a previous suspension he served, according to a Wednesday order.
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May 15, 2024
RI Tax Division Says Biz Flouted Deal, Owes Full Sales Tax
A Rhode Island business breached the terms of a settlement agreement with the state's Division of Taxation over unpaid sales and use tax, making it liable to pay the full amount rather than the reduced sum, an administrative hearing officer said.
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May 15, 2024
Ariz. Court Sides With Solar Farm On Tax Credits In Valuation
Arizona's tax department wrongly excluded deferred investment credits from the calculation of a solar energy facility's property valuation, a state appeals court ruled, saying the credits should be considered by the department at the time they are claimed.
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May 15, 2024
Colo. To Conform To MTC Standards For Corp. Tax Reporting
Colorado will conform its method for determining the makeup of a combined corporate group with Multistate Tax Commission standards under legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 15, 2024
Ala. Tribunal Says Ally Financial Units Can't File As Group
Ally Financial and its subsidiaries did not meet the requirements to file a consolidated return and are therefore not eligible for a refund of excise tax or adjustments to net operating losses and final assessments, the Alabama Tax Tribunal ruled.
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May 15, 2024
Colo. Cuts 2024 Income Tax Rate, Changes Refund Method
Colorado will temporarily lower its flat income tax rate and could reduce the rate in future years if certain revenue surpluses are reached under legislation signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis.
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May 15, 2024
Ill. Revenues Beat Budget Forecasts By $388M
Illinois' total general fund revenue for July through April exceeded budget projections by $388 million, the state Office of Management and Budget reported.
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May 15, 2024
Neb. Net Receipts Through April Beat Forecasts By $139M
Nebraska's net receipts from July through April were $139 million higher than projections, according to a monthly report by the state Department of Revenue published Wednesday.
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May 15, 2024
Conn. Net Revenue Through April Up $618M From Last Year
Connecticut's net revenue from July through April was $618 million ahead of last year, according to a monthly report by the state Department of Revenue Services.
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May 15, 2024
Biz Founder Who Left Mass. Fights Tax On $4.7M Gain
A $4.7 million capital gain from the sale of stock by a former Massachusetts resident should not be subject to that state's tax, a couple told a state appeals court, seeking to overturn a finding that the income was attributable to the state.
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May 15, 2024
In Hush Money Case, Jury May Choose To Keep Silent, Too
Though Donald Trump's gag order violations have earned him a threat of jail time, First Amendment experts say jurors in the New York case will likely be free to speak their mind afterward if they want to — a dynamic that in rare instances has led to posttrial controversy.
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May 14, 2024
Tax Pact Council OKs Nexus, Registration Advice For States
A Streamlined Sales Tax Board council on Tuesday approved a recommendation for states to provide remote sellers with at least 30 days to begin collecting sales tax after crossing economic nexus thresholds, and to use gross sales to calculate those thresholds.
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May 14, 2024
Texas Justices Leave Cities' Franchise-Fee Suit Tossed
The Texas Supreme Court has refused to vacate a lower appeals court's order that allowed Hulu, Disney and Netflix to escape a lawsuit from 31 municipalities claiming the streaming platforms are required to pay 5% state franchise fees, holding that the municipalities have other remedies available.
Expert Analysis
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Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence
Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes
Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.
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Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys
Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.
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The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'
The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.
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Permanence And Other Elusive Notions: SALT In Review
From a Michigan income tax that may or may not be permanent to a victory in court for online travel companies, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform
The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.
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How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing
Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
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How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies
Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.
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Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial
Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.
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Potential Calamities, Greatly Exaggerated: SALT In Review
From fears of judicial upheaval to a tax break for space travel, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
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Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times
As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.
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Preparing Your Legal Department For Pillar 2 Compliance
Multinational entities should familiarize themselves with Pillar Two of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s BEPs 2.0 project and prepare their internal legal tracking systems for related reporting requirements that may go into effect as early as January, says Daniel Robyn at Ernst & Young.
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What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review
Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.