Erwin v. Commissioner

1986 T.C. Memo. 474, 52 T.C.M. 635, 1986 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 130
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedSeptember 24, 1986
DocketDocket Nos. 13035-85, 13207-85, 13208-85.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1986 T.C. Memo. 474 (Erwin v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Erwin v. Commissioner, 1986 T.C. Memo. 474, 52 T.C.M. 635, 1986 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 130 (tax 1986).

Opinion

EDWARD R. ERWIN, III and SYLVIA ERWIN, ET AL., 1 Petitioners v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Erwin v. Commissioner
Docket Nos. 13035-85, 13207-85, 13208-85.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1986-474; 1986 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 130; 52 T.C.M. (CCH) 635; T.C.M. (RIA) 86474;
September 24, 1986.

*130 The accountant who prepared petitioners' tax returns for the years in issue filed a motion for leave to file an amicus curiae brief. Held: The motion is denied.

Charles B. Sklar, for the petitioners.
Stevens E. Moore,Linda J. Bourquin, and Deborah R. Jaffe, for the respondent.

SWIFT

MEMORANDUM OPINION

SWIFT, Judge: This matter is before the Court on the motion of Morris J. Parrino for leave to file an amicus curiae brief. 2 Trial of this case was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 5, 1986. Opening briefs are due on October 3, 1986, and reply briefs are due on December 3, 1986.

This case involves the Federal income tax liabilities of petitioners for the years 1980, 1981, and 1982. Total tax deficiencies determined and which are at issue herein are $88,411. The tax deficiencies determined by respondent are based upon the disallowance of net operating losses of a subchapter S corporation.

The moving party herein, Morris J. Parrino, a certified public accountant, was the preparer of the Federal income tax returns of the subchapter*131 S corporation and of the returns of some of the petitioners herein. As a result of the deficiencies determined by respondent, Mr. Parrino has been sued in a Louisiana state court for negligence and malpractice in the preparation of the referred-to tax returns. Movant alleges that the resolution of the substantive tax issues herein will have a direct and significant impact on the outcome of the state court action and on the award of any monetary damages against him. Also, movant alleges that the outcome of the state court action may affect his professional reputation as a certified public accountant and tax return preparer.

Petitioners herein do not object to the motion of Morris J. Parrino for leave to file an amicus curiae brief.

Respondent, however, objects to the instant motion for leave to file an amicus curiae brief on the grounds that (1) the issues before the Court will be fully and adequately briefed by petitioners and by respondent, and (2) the movant's interest in this proceeding is no different from that of other tax return preparers and tax advisors who prepare returns, which returns are subject to audit by respondent. Respondent suggests that if movant is allowed*132 to file an amicus brief herein, the Court may well expect requests from other tax return preparers in subsequent cases in which tax return preparers have an interest similar to that of movant herein.

This Court does not have a specific rule addressing the circumstances under which amicus curiae briefs will be allowed. Such a motion, accordingly, is to be governed by the Court's general rule on motions (Rule 50, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure) and by the rules developed in other Federal courts concerning the filing of amicus briefs. (See Rule 1, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.)

Rule 36, Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States, provides that amicus curiae briefs will be allowed automatically where all parties consent thereto. Where, however, all parties do not consent, the filing of amicus briefs must be preceded by a motion for leave to file, and the grant or denial thereof is discretionary with the Court. See generally, Stern, Gressman & Shapiro, Supreme Court Practice 569 (1986). Supreme Court Rule 36.3 provides some guidance as to the showing required of a moving party seeking to file an amicus brief over the objection of one of the parties, *133 as follows:

The motion shall concisely state the nature of the applicant's interest, set forth facts or questions of law that have not been, or reasons for believing that they will not adequately be, presented by the parties * * *.

Rule 29, Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, similarly provides for the automatic filing of amicus briefs where all parties consent thereto, and, if any party objects, the filing of amicus briefs only on motion. The discretionary authority of Federal appellate courts to grant or deny motions to file amicus briefs is clear, as is the requirement that a showing be made by the moving party that the amicus briefs will provide information and assistance to the Court beyond that provided by the parties to the litigation. Strasser v. Doorley,432 F.2d 567 (1st Cir. 1970); Clark v. Sandusky,205 F.2d 915,

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Clark v. Sandusky Appeal of De Rose
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Bluebook (online)
1986 T.C. Memo. 474, 52 T.C.M. 635, 1986 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 130, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/erwin-v-commissioner-tax-1986.