{"argument_date":"2000-10-02T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2000-10-02T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Hallett stated the issue is limited due to the Commissioner's brief position.","Mr. Jones argued Congress did not provide the unique double tax benefit.","Mr. Jones asked if the discharge is income or tax-exempt income.","A justice asked if other Courts of Appeals ruled against the government."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 45-47"}]}],"caption":"Gitlitz v. Commissioner","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.418984Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case claim debt discharge is tax-exempt. The government says it is taxable income.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2000-10-02T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/99-1295.html","primary_docket":"99-1295","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:33:29.257900Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["This case tests how the tax code treats debt forgiveness for insolvent S corporations. the sides that brought the case argue the discharge is tax-exempt income. The government argues it is taxable income that increases shareholder basis."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 2, 2000."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to treat debt discharge as tax-exempt income.","The government wants the Court to treat debt discharge as taxable income."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the discharge is tax-exempt income flowing to shareholders.","The government argues Congress did not grant this unique double tax benefit."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Have other Courts of Appeals ruled against the government on this point?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 45-47"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines how shareholders report income from corporate debt forgiveness. It clarifies the tax status of discharged debt for insolvent entities. The outcome affects how taxpayers calculate their basis and income."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 45-47"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-1295-gitlitz-v-commissioner","term":"2000","title":"Does debt discharge for insolvent S corporations count as income?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 9-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 9-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1295.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}