Tax Controversies and Litigation

Bowles Rice frequently represents our clients in tax controversy and litigation matters.

In West Virginia, we represent clients before the State Tax Department and the West Virginia Office of Tax Appeals on corporate net income tax, severance tax, franchise tax, sales and use tax,  business and occupation tax and other tax matters. Appeals from administrative rulings are litigated in the circuit courts, including the newly created Business Court Division, and often in the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.   In fact, our attorneys have appeared as counsel for the prevailing party in every case, involving the substantive nature of  the corporation net income tax and the business franchise tax, which has been decided by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals since 1995.

We  regularly represent commercial taxpayers before the County Commissions and through the court systems in efforts to reduce ad valorem property tax assessments.

Currently, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, our Bowles Rice Property Tax Appeal Team is assisting owners of commercial and industrial property with a court-ordered real estate tax reassessment -- the county’s first in 35 years.  Preliminary assessments (the “impact notice”) have been mailed and, on or about July 1, 2016, Change of Assessment Notices will be mailed.  If a real estate owner is dissatisfied with the new tax assessment, an appeal must be filed within 40 days of receipt of that Change of Assessment Notice.  Click here to find out more.

On the federal level, we represent clients  before the Internal Revenue Service. If we are not able to resolve the case on favorable terms at the administrative level, the assessments are litigated either in the United States Tax Court or in a Federal District Court, and, if necessary, before the United States Circuit Court of Appeals.