Court Opinion

ID: 9765244
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 03:57:00.583898+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:06.891942
License: Public Domain

ABBOTT, Justice,
dissenting.
Why would a client want to file a malpractice lawsuit against his accountant when the client may ultimately prevail in his dispute with the Internal Revenue Service, thus making a malpractice action unnecessary? Because the Court today requires such a result. According to the Court, taxpayers who may ultimately succeed in overturning a tax deficiency must nevertheless sue their accountants after receiving the deficiency to preclude the expiration of limitations.
I believe this fosters unnecessary litigation. There is no need for an accountant to be subject to a malpractice claim if the Tax Court concludes that his client does not owe additional taxes and the accountant’s advice was sound. While the Court states that taxpayers can file a malpractice action and then abate the action until the tax suit is resolved, such a hurry-up-and-wait approach is contrary to our efforts to expedite the litigation process.
For these reasons, and for the reasons set forth by Justice Speetor, I dissent.