Tax Returns Do Not Conclusively Establish Entity’s Ownership Structure
January 12, 2015Dr. Erwin Cruz sued his former business partners, claiming, among other things, that he was a limited partner in an entity called Plano AMI, L.P. Before trial, the trial court granted Dr. Cruz’s motion for partial summary judgment establishing his ownership interest as a limited partner, based in large part upon the fact that Plano AMI’s tax returns listed Dr. Cruz as a limited partner.
On appeal, the Dallas Court of Appeals reversed that decision, finding that the partnership agreement was ambiguous and that because Plano AMI had later amended its tax returns to list Dr. Cruz as a general partner, Cruz had failed to establish as a matter of law that he was a limited partner.
