Cambridge State Bank v. James

514 N.W.2d 565, 1994 Minn. LEXIS 241, 1994 WL 106516
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedApril 1, 1994
DocketC0-89-2097
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 514 N.W.2d 565 (Cambridge State Bank v. James) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cambridge State Bank v. James, 514 N.W.2d 565, 1994 Minn. LEXIS 241, 1994 WL 106516 (Mich. 1994).

Opinions

GARDEBRING, Justice.

This challenge to the bank excise tax imposed by Minn.Stat. § 290.361 (1984) (repealed 1987)1 is before us on remand from the United States Supreme Court for reconsideration in light of the Court’s decision in Harper v. Virginia Department of Taxation, — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 2510, 125 L.Ed.2d 74 (1993). Norwest Bank Duluth v. McClung, — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 3026, 125 L.Ed.2d 714 (1993) (remand order). We have considered this matter in two previous decisions. The lawsuit began in August of 1984 when over 140 banks filed a consolidated refund action in district court for the tax years 1979-83, pursuant to the tax refund statute, Minn.Stat. § 290.50, subd. 2 (1984) (recodi-fied at Minn.Stat. § 289A.50, subd. 7 (1992)).2 The banks alleged that the bank excise tax violated the Borrowing and Supremacy Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, as well as 31 U.S.C. § 3124 (1982), because it exempted from taxation the banks’ income from certain state obligations while it taxed income from federal obligations.3 The banks based their claim on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Memphis Bank & Trust Co. v. Garner, 459 U.S. 392, 103 S.Ct. 692, 74 L.Ed.2d 562 (1983) which held that a similar Tennessee tax was unconstitutional.4

[567]*567The trial was bifurcated into a liability-phase and a remedy phase. Pursuant to a stipulation by the parties, the court heard evidence regarding four banks for the 1979 tax year. The parties agreed that the trial court’s conclusion on liability would be conclusive as to all tax years at issue and all of the plaintiff banks. The trial court found the tax unconstitutional under Memphis Bank. The trial court found the state liable for refunds of the taxes the banks paid on interest on federal obligations, with the amount to be determined during the remedy phase of the trial. At the close of the remedy phase, the court assessed the state’s liability for refunds at a total of $285,750.00 for the four test banks during the test year.

On review, we agreed with the trial court that the tax was discriminatory under Memphis Bank, but further held that the banks were estopped from challenging the statute’s constitutionality because they benefitted from the exemptions for state bond income which made the tax unconstitutional. Cambridge State Bank v. Roemer, 457 N.W.2d 716, 720 (Minn.1990) (“Cambridge I ”). As to remedy, we concluded that Memphis Bank should be applied prospectively only, and that severance of the exemptions for interest income from state obligations was an appropriate remedy. Id. at 721-22.

The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiora-ri in Cambridge I, vacated the judgment, and remanded the case for reconsideration in light of its decision in James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia, 501 U.S. 529, 111 S.Ct. 2439, 115 L.Ed.2d 481 (1991). Norwest Bank Duluth v. James, — U.S. -, 111 S.Ct. 2881, 115 L.Ed.2d 1047 (1991). Beam held that when the Supreme Court “has applied a rule of law to the litigants in one case it must do so with respect to all others not barred by procedural requirements or res judicata.” Beam, — U.S. at -, 111 S.Ct. at 2448. Upon reconsideration, we held that we were compelled by Beam to apply Memphis Bank retroactively, but we again denied the banks refunds on several grounds. Cambridge State Bank v. James, 480 N.W.2d 647 (Minn.1992) (“Cambridge II ”). First, we reaffirmed our estoppel holding, concluding that Beam allowed states to raise state procedural bars to the otherwise required retroactive application of Memphis Bank and that the “acceptance-of-benefits” estoppel doctrine was one such procedural bar. Id. at 652. We also affirmed our holding that severance of the exemptions for income on state obligations was an appropriate remedy, citing Beam ⅛ holding that the remedial decision is governed by state law when the case originates in state court. Id. at 653-54. We concluded again that the remedy of severance was “sufficient to cure the discriminatory tax.” Id. at 655.

The U.S. Supreme Court again granted certiorari, vacated our Cambridge II judgment, and again remanded the case to us for reconsideration, this time in light of its decision in Harper v. Virginia Department of Taxation, — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 2510, 125 L.Ed.2d 74 (1993). The Supreme Court’s summary reconsideration order leaves the Cambridge II decision without force or effect. State v. Hershberger, 462 N.W.2d 393, 395 (Minn.1990). The Supreme Court’s order indicates that the Court has found the intervening precedent “sufficiently analogous and, perhaps, decisive to compel re-examination of the case.” Henry v. City of Rock Hill, 376 U.S. 776, 777, 84 S.Ct. 1042, 1043, 12 L.Ed.2d 79 (1964).

In Harper, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated a state statute which taxed federal retirees’ benefits while exempting from taxation benefits of state and local retirees. Harper v. Virginia Dept. of Taxation, 241 Va. 232, 401 S.E.2d 868, 870 (1991), rev’d — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 2510, 125 L.Ed.2d 74 (1993). The Virginia court, however, gave only prospective effect to its decision that the tax was unconstitutional. Id. 401 S.E.2d at 873. After the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the decision and remanded it for reconsideration in light of Beam, the Virginia court reaffirmed its decision in all respects. See Harper v. Virginia Dept. of Taxation, 242 Va. 322, 410 S.E.2d 629 (1991). The U.S. Supreme Court again granted certiorari, reversed and remanded, addressing both retro-activity and remedial issues. Harper, — U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 2510. Thus, our analysis turns on the application of Harper to the instant matter.

[568]*568The Supreme Court’s analysis of remedial issues in Harper affects our ruling in Cambridge II.5 After finding the tax at issue in Harper unconstitutional, the Virginia Supreme Court had declined to order refunds for the federal retirees. See Harper, 401 S.E.2d at 874; 410 S.E.2d at 632. As we noted in Cambridge II, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the remedial inquiry is one governed by state law where the case originates in state court. Cambridge II, 480 N.W.2d at 653 (citing Beam, — U.S. at -, 111 S.Ct. at 2443). In Harper, however, the Court reversed the Virginia court and remanded the decision with the directive that the state court measure the relief provided by the state’s remedial scheme against federal due process principles. Harper, — U.S. at -, 113 S.Ct. at 2520. The Court cited the due process principles set out in McKesson Corp. v.

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Cambridge State Bank v. James
514 N.W.2d 565 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1994)

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Bluebook (online)
514 N.W.2d 565, 1994 Minn. LEXIS 241, 1994 WL 106516, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cambridge-state-bank-v-james-minn-1994.