Historic Tax Case | Commissioner v. Glenshaw Glass Co.

• Published date: 23 September 2022
• Subject Matter: Antitrust/Competition Law, Tax, Antitrust, EU Competition , Income Tax
• Law Firm: Freeman Law
• Author: Freeman Law

Commissioner v. Glenshaw Glass Co., 348 U.S. 426 | March 28, 1955 | Chief Justice Warren | Docket No. 199

Short Summary:

The case before the Supreme Court deals with two separate cases, consolidated for argument before the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and were heard en banc: Commissioner v. Glenshaw Glass Co. and Commissioner v. William Goldman Theatres, Inc. The Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a single opinion, affirming the Tax Court's separate rulings in favor of the taxpayers.

Glenshaw Glass Co.: The Glenshaw Glass Company (Glenshaw) was engaged in prolonged litigation with the Hartford-Empire Company (Hartford), which manufactures equipment used by Glenshaw in its glass bottle and container manufacturing business. Glenshaw, in addition to other claims, demanded exemplary damages for fraud and treble damages for injury to its business by reason of Hartford's violation of federal antitrust laws. In December 1947, the parties settled all ongoing litigation - Hartford paid Glenshaw approximately $800,000, of which $324,529.94 represented payment of punitive damages for fraud and antitrust violations. Glenshaw did not report this portion of the settlement as gross income for the corresponding tax year. The Commissioner cited a deficiency worth the entire settlement amount, minus legal fees, against Glenshaw.

William Goldman Theatres, Inc.: William Goldman Theatres, Inc. (Goldman), which operated motion picture houses, sued Loew's, Inc., alleging violation of federal antitrust laws and seeking treble damages. Upon determination that a violation had occurred, it was determined that Goldman had suffered a loss of profits equal to $125,000 and was entitled to treble damages worth $375,000. Goldman reported $125,000 as gross income but did not report the other $250,000 as gross income, claiming the latter portion to be punitive damages and thus not taxable under IRC ' 22(a) (1939).

The Supreme Court granted the Commissioner of Internal Revenue's (Commissioner) petition for certiorari due to the frequency with which related issues arise, and the differing treatment by lower courts of the Supreme Court's decisions related to the topic.

Key Issue:

Whether money received as exemplary damages for fraud or as the punitive two-thirds portion of a treble-damage antitrust recovery must be reported by a taxpayer as gross income under IRC ' 22(a) (1939)?

Primary Holding:

Yes, money received as exemplary damages for fraud and as the punitive...