Brown v. United States

35 Fed. Cl. 258, 77 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1658, 1996 U.S. Claims LEXIS 54, 1996 WL 156332
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedApril 3, 1996
DocketNo. 95-367T
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 35 Fed. Cl. 258 (Brown v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. United States, 35 Fed. Cl. 258, 77 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1658, 1996 U.S. Claims LEXIS 54, 1996 WL 156332 (uscfc 1996).

Opinion

OPINION

FUTEY, Judge.

This case is before the court on defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs complaint in part and for summary judgment. Defendant argues that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over portions of plaintiffs complaint and moves the court to dismiss the complaint in part pursuant to RCFC 12(b)(1). With regard to the remainder of plaintiffs complaint, defendant moves for summary judgment pursuant to RCFC 56. Defendant asserts that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on those claims because plaintiff presents no genuine issues of material fact. Maintaining that he has established jurisdiction and that defendant has failed to refute his claims, plaintiff, appearing pro se, opposes the motion.

Factual Background1

Plaintiff was born in New Jersey and moved to California in 1982. During the relevant time period, plaintiff was employed as a school teacher by the Riverside Unified School District, Riverside, California. On December 15, 1993, the Riverside Office of Education notified the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that it would continue to report plaintiffs earnings as taxable income, despite plaintiffs assertions that he is a nonresident alien and therefore not subject to federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. §§ 1 to 9722 (1994) (I.R.C.).

1. Tax Year 1988

On April 15, 1989, plaintiff timely filed his federal income tax return (Form 1040) for tax year 1988 with the IRS Service Center in Fresno, California. Plaintiff reported a fully-paid income tax liability of $1,673. On April 15, 1992, plaintiff timely filed with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Service Center an amended income tax return (Form 1040X) for 1988, seeking an income tax overpayment of $1,380. Plaintiff also enclosed a Form W-8 Certificate of Foreign Status and an affidavit. In the affidavit, plaintiff claimed he is a “free sovereign Citizen” of the state of California, and a “nonresident alien” with respect to the United States for purposes of federal taxation.2 By certified letter dated September 10, 1992, the Commissioner of the IRS, acting through the Fresno Service Center, issued a statutory notice of claim disallowance regarding plaintiffs amended 1988 income tax return.

On February 25, 1993, plaintiff untimely filed with the Philadelphia Service Center two additional amended income tax returns (Forms 1040X and 1040NR) for 1988. In his [262]*262second Form 1040X, plaintiff claimed zero taxable income and zero tax. On March 8, 1993, the Fresno Service Center assessed a civil penalty against plaintiff, under 26 U.S.C. § 6702 (1994), in the amount of $500 for the filing of a frivolous tax return for 1988. This penalty was directed at plaintiffs first Form 1040X, which was filed in April 1992. The § 6702 penalty was fully paid on June 15, 1993, after the IRS served a notice of levy on plaintiffs employer.

On February 7, 1994, and February 14, 1994, the IRS assessed two additional § 6702 penalties against plaintiff in the total amount of $1,000. These penalties were directed at plaintiffs • amended 1988 tax returns that were filed in February 1993. These penalties were fully paid on May 17, 1994, again after the IRS served a notice of levy on plaintiffs employer. Plaintiff sent a letter to the Fresno Service Center on July 14, 1994, in which he referred to his prior claims for 1988. Plaintiff had also asserted his prior claims against the § 6702 penalties for 1988 in a letter dated July 29,1993.

II. Tax Year 1989

Plaintiff timely filed his 1989 federal income tax return (Form 1040) with the Fresno Service Center on April 15, 1990, and declared a fully-paid income tax liability of $1,673. On April 15, 1992, plaintiff timely filed with the Philadelphia Service Center an amended income tax return for 1989 (Form 1040X), and enclosed a Form W-8 Certificate of Foreign Status and an affidavit. In the affidavit, plaintiff claimed that he is a “free sovereign Citizen” of the state of California and a “nonresident alien” with respect to the United States.3

On February 25,1993, plaintiff timely filed with the Philadelphia Service Center two additional amended income tax returns (Forms 1040X and 1040NR) for tax year 1989. In his second Form 1040X for 1989, plaintiff claimed zero taxable income and zero tax. The IRS did not issue a statutory notice of claim disallowance with regard to plaintiffs amended income tax returns for 1989.

On March 8, 1993, the Fresno Service center assessed a § 6702 penalty against plaintiff in the amount of $500 for the filing of a frivolous tax return for 1989. This penalty was directed at plaintiffs first Form 1040X, which was filed in April 1992. The § 6702 penalty was fully paid on June 15,1993, after the IRS served a notice of levy on plaintiffs employer.

The IRS assessed two additional § 6702 penalties against plaintiff in the total amount of $1,000, on August 9, 1993, and August 16, 1993. These penalties were directed at plaintiffs amended 1989 tax returns filed in February 1993. These penalties were fully paid on May 17, 1994, again after the IRS served a notice of levy on plaintiffs employer.

By letter of June 26,1994, the IRS notified plaintiff that it had credited an overpayment on his § 6702 penalty account for 1989 to his § 6702 penalty accounts for the years 1990 and 1991. Plaintiff sent a letter to the Fresno Service Center on July 11, 1994, contesting the application of overpayments on his § 6702 penalty account. In a letter dated July 29, 1993, plaintiff had reasserted his prior claims against the § 6702 penalties for 1989.

III. Tax Year 1990

Plaintiff timely filed his 1990 federal income tax return (Form 1040) with the Fresno Service Center on April 15, 1991. Plaintiff reported a fully-paid income tax liability of $2,374. On April 15, 1992, plaintiff timely filed with the Philadelphia Service Center an amended income tax return for the year 1990 (Form 1040X), and enclosed a Form W-8 Certificate of Foreign Status and an affidavit. In the affidavit, plaintiff claimed that he is a “free sovereign Citizen” of the state of California and a “nonresident alien” with respect to the United States.4

On February 25,1993, plaintiff timely filed with the Philadelphia Service Center two additional amended income tax returns (Forms 1040X and 1040NR) for 1990, seeking an income tax overpayment of $2,374. In his [263]*263second Form 1040X, plaintiff claimed zero taxable income and zero tax for 1990. On May 25, 1993, by certified letter, the IRS Commissioner issued a statutory notice of claim disallowance with regard to plaintiff’s second Form 1040X for 1990.

On March 8,1993, the Fresno Service Center assessed a § 6702 penalty against plaintiff in the amount of $500 for the filing of a frivolous tax return for 1990. This penalty was directed at plaintiff’s first Form 1040X, which was filed in April 1992. The § 6702 penalty was fully paid on June 15,1993, after the IRS served a notice of levy on plaintiff’s employer.

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Bluebook (online)
35 Fed. Cl. 258, 77 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1658, 1996 U.S. Claims LEXIS 54, 1996 WL 156332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-united-states-uscfc-1996.