Also known as: certified public accountants · CPA · CPAs
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A licensed professional who has satisfied statutory and administrative requirements to practice public accounting. The designation authorizes the holder to perform financial audits, prepare tax returns, design accounting systems, and offer related advice to clients.
Cecilia Cabrera, an attorney also licensed as a certified public accountant, placed an advertisement stating her dual credentials. State regulators sought to discipline her for the listing. The court held the truthful statement protected and refused to impose sanctions or require a disclaimer.
Colin Chambers, a certified public accountant retained by Canyon Construction, issued an audit report that third-party investors later relied upon. When the company collapsed, the investors sued Chambers for negligence. The court measured his liability by the skill level expected of reputable certified public accountants in the community.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cameron Cruz, a certified public accountant whose right to practice before a federal board was revoked without a hearing, challenged the action. The court recognized the license as a protected interest requiring due process safeguards before termination.
Camila Cervantes, a certified public accountant, provided expert calculations used to determine a defendant's loss amount at sentencing. After the sentencing guidelines were held advisory, the court reconsidered the weight given to her figures in the final sentence.
Catherine Carter, a certified public accountant working on a corporate transaction, learned material nonpublic facts and traded on them. Prosecutors charged her with misappropriation. The court examined whether her CPA role created the requisite duty of trust and confidence.
Clifford Cox, a certified public accountant whose firm prepared financial statements for a company later accused of fraud, was named as a RICO defendant. The court assessed whether the accounting work constituted participation in the alleged enterprise.
A gratuitous agent who is a certified public accountant must exercise the care and skill of a reasonable person in similar unpaid undertakings, taking into account any special skills the accountant actually possesses. The professional designation does not automatically impose the higher standard that applies to paid professional engagements.
Supporting sources
Yes. Language authorizing distributions for college tuition, reasonable living expenses, and job-related wardrobe items tied to specific employment creates an objective, measurable standard limited to health, education, support, and maintenance.
Supporting sources
Yes. Courts may reform a donative instrument to achieve the donor's tax objectives when a neutral professional such as the settlor's CPA provides evidence that the modification aligns with the donor's probable intent.
Supporting sources
…fraud convictions. Footnotes [^maj-1]: Briefs of amici curiae urging reversal were filed for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants by Louis A. Craco, Richard I. Miller , and David P. Murray ; for the Association for Investment Management and Research by Stuart H. Singer ; and for the North American Securities…