Tax Court in Santa Clara, California

Find the right Tax Court attorney in Santa Clara, CA

Tax Court Lawyers in Santa Clara

Tax Court is a legal forum designed specifically to resolve claims and disputes that arise under federal and (sometimes) state tax law.

Federal tax issues are handled by the United States Tax Court, which has branches all over the U.S. So, the U.S. Tax Court almost certainly has a courthouse in or around Santa Clara, California.

U.S. Tax Courts deal with almost every legal issue that has to do with the federal tax obligations of an individual or corporation. The U.S. District Courts are the courts of "general jurisdiction" in the U.S., meaning that they can hear almost any type of civil or criminal case under their jurisdiction. This includes tax cases, but the law only permits them to hear such cases if the tax in question has already been paid. Tax courts can hear cases before the tax has been paid.

Tax Court Procedure in Santa Clara, California

Tax law claims can arise out of any conflict having to do with one's legal obligation to pay their taxes in Santa Clara, California. Most often, they occur when the IRS alleges that a taxpayer has not paid all of the taxes that they owe, and the taxpayer disagrees. The court has to resolve this dispute.

In the U.S., tax court judges are appointed by the President of the United States. Unlike judges on most other federal courts, who typically serve for life (or until they retire), tax court judges serve terms of 15 years. But, there is no limit to the number of terms that they are allowed to serve. If a tax court judge has been doing his or her job competently, the President will typically re-appoint them whenever their term expires, effectively giving them life tenure.

U.S. Tax Courts have one feature that's almost completely unique in the U.S.: people who are not licensed attorneys in California, or anywhere else, are permitted to represent clients in Tax Court. This doesn't mean, however, that anyone can walk in off the street and start practicing tax law. Before they can practice before a tax court, non-attorneys have to take and pass a written exam that tests their knowledge of U.S. tax law. People who are already licensed to practice law, on the other hand, can practice before a tax court without taking this test.

Most frequently, a resident of Santa Clara, California will find themselves in tax court because the relevant tax authority (usually the IRS), suspects that they have not paid all of the taxes that they are required to pay. To initiate a legal action against the taxpayer, the IRS will send them a letter laying out its allegations. Once this is received, the taxpayer has a moderate period of time (about 90 days) to go to the nearest U.S. tax court and respond. If you find yourself in this position, and want to dispute the allegations against you, you MUST file a response in a tax court in a timely manner. If you don't, you can easily lose your right to ever dispute those allegations again.

Do I Need a Santa Clara, California Tax Attorney?

Although the law lets certain non-lawyers represent parties before tax court, tax law is very intricate and often difficult to understand - to the point that almost all attorneys who practice tax law practice it exclusively, simply because maintaining competence leaves little time to learn any other area.

So, if you plan on going to tax court, it should go without saying that you should hire a Santa Clara, California tax attorney. While a non-lawyer admitted to practice before tax court may well give you skilled representation, you will have much stronger recourse against a licensed attorney if they negligently botch your case.

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Life in Santa Clara

Santa Clara, California is located in Santa Clara County in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Many advanced technology and semi-conductor companies are headquartered in the city, including Intel, McAfee, Applied Materials, and Agilent Technologies. Sun Microsystems and Oracle are also major employers in the area. The city of Santa Clara owns and operates its own electric utility facility called Silicon Valley Power. As a result, electricity rates are considerably cheaper in Santa Clara.

Aside from its central role in the Silicon Valley semiconductor boom, Santa Clara, California is home to a diverse array of facilities. Buck Shaw Stadium is located in the city, and is home to the Major League Soccer team the San Jose Earthquakes. The San Francisco 49ers holds practices in Santa Clara and is also headquartered there. Great America, a popular amusement park in the Bay Area, is also located in Santa Clara. The city also hosts a number of outdoor events such as the Art Wine Festival in September and Concerts in the Park.

Santa Clara is a major city for lawyers and attorneys, as the Santa Clara County Courthouse maintains a branch in the city. Many lawyers in Santa Clara, California received their legal education at Santa Clara School of Law. Santa Clara lawyers are available to assist clients in a diverse range of legal fields.

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