U.S. Tax Court Judges Visit

** By William VanDenburgh, Associate Professor of Accounting **

The graduate Research in Taxation class (ACCT 540) in the Spring of 2023 had the honor of having two U.S. Tax Court judges attend classes through Zoom. Judge Cary Douglas Pugh was appointed by President Obama in 2014. Senior Judge Mark V. Holmes was appointed in 2003 by President George W. Bush. The judges attended a presentation on one of their previous cases by Accounting Graduate Students Merritt Lemley and Ben Thompson.  Both judges answered numerous class questions on factors needed to be successful in the tax profession and taxation in general. Ben’s question on whether the tax code was too complex or just a reflection of a complex society led to some lively answers by both judges.