Judicial Tax Courts for the States: A Modern Imperative

There has been growing discontent among tax gatherers and taxpayers alike over the disposition of state and local tax disputes. Concern centers on the nature of appellate review and its availability irrespective of the tax involved or the amount or subject matter in controversy. In many jurisdictions the system of review in tax cases presents an unwieldy array of alternative administrative and judicial avenues of review which are confusing to the prospective tax appellant and destructive of economy and uniformity in the system. This article will assess the need for a specialized judicial court to review the initial disposition of tax matters.