Suntrust Bank vs. Johnson

This appeal involves a dispute between a commercial bank and the Tennessee Department of Revenue regarding the bank's claim for a refund of the sales taxes paid in connection with defaulted retail installment sales contracts purchased from various automobile dealers. After the Department denied its refund claim, the bank sued the Commissioner of Revenue in the Chancery Court for Davidson County seeking a refund. Both parties eventually sought a summary judgment. The trial court granted the Commissioner's motion for summary judgment after concluding that it did not have jurisdiction to consider the bank's claim. Alternatively, the trial court held that the bank was not entitled to the requested refund because it was not the dealer who originally remitted the sales tax to the Department. We have determined that the trial court erred by determining that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the bank's refund claim. However, we have also determined that the trial court correctly concluded that the bank was not entitled to the requested refund because it was not the dealer who remitted the sales tax at issue.