P.M. BRIEFING : Tax Setback for Multinationals
A unanimous Supreme Court today limited the ability of multinational corporations to challenge state taxes in federal court.
The justices ruled that a law generally barring federal courts from handling lawsuits that attack a state tax applies to foreign-based multinational businesses.
A federal appeals court had ruled that the law did not apply, drawing a distinction between multinational businesses based in this country and those based in foreign countries. Today’s decision means two foreign-based corporations will have to turn to California courts to challenge that state’s business tax.
The justices in 1984 gave states a major victory when ruling that California could tax multinational corporations doing business in the state based on the businesses’ worldwide dealings.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.