Cain v. United States

135 F. Supp. 516, 133 Ct. Cl. 188, 48 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 606, 1955 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 28
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedNovember 8, 1955
DocketNo. 50418
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 135 F. Supp. 516 (Cain v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cain v. United States, 135 F. Supp. 516, 133 Ct. Cl. 188, 48 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 606, 1955 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 28 (cc 1955).

Opinion

Jones, Chief Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

This is a suit for refund of additional income taxes which plaintiff claims were improperly assessed for the years 1943 and 1944. The amount claimed as overpayment is $72,979.77.

The plaintiff has been a licensed dentist since the year 1915 and has been practicing in Canton, Ohio. Upon graduation in that year he became a partner of his father, Dr. [190]*190H. O. Cain. The father, Dr. H. O. Cain, gradually withdrew from the practice of dentistry until 1941 at which-time he began devoting his entire time to banking matters.. The partnership name, however, Cain & Cain, was continued in use by the plaintiff who from time to time employed other dentists on a salary. He also operated a dental laboratory for the making of artificial dentures.

The plaintiff’s son, Dr. Charles C. Cain, was born July 10, 1916. From the time of his birth the plaintiff had anticipated his son’s entry into the partnership with plaintiff in the practice of dentistry and held out the prospect of such a partnership as an inducement to Charles C. Cain to prepare himself well for the profession.

The son was graduated from dental school in June 1942 and was admitted to practice his profession on August 5, 1942. The war was on and while in dental school Dr. Charles C. Cain received a Navy commission as a probationary ensign and was commissioned a lieutenant (jg) in the Navy on October 30, 1942, and was immediately called up for service and left Canton on Navy duty on December 5, 1942. He was absent from Canton on Navy duty except for two or three brief leaves until October 26,1944.

Soon after his admission to practice dentistry in August 1942 Dr. Charles C. Cain became a salaried employee of his father who was then operating under the name of Cain & Cain. His name was placed on the office door at that time.

Some time between September 1, 1942, and January 1, 1943, an undated partnership agreement was signed between plaintiff Joseph M. Cain and his son, Charles C. Cain. Pertinent provisions of this agreement are set out in finding 5. According to its terms the plaintiff, Joseph M. Cain, was to contribute all the capital and equipment in the business that he had been conducting in the city of Canton, together with all the stock and merchandise used in the business, together with his experience and ability, and his son, Charles C. Cain, was to contribute all his knowledge, skill and ability, and both of such parties were to give all their time, experience and ability in the conduct and management of the business.

The contract by its terms was to become effective January I, 1943. In the meantime, between August 1942, when he [191]*191entered his father’s office and the time he was called into the service on December 5,1942, Dr. Charles C. Cain had married and the contract provided that in the event of the son’s death all the property belonging to the partnership and used in carrying on the business, including the equipment, all stock in trade and all accounts and bank deposits, should immediately revert to and become the sole property of the plaintiff, Joseph M. Cain, the senior member of the partnership, including all the profits of the partnership at such time whether divided or not, and that the son’s heirs, administrators, executors or assigns should have no interest therein. The contract further provided that in the event of the death of Joseph M. Cain, the senior member of the firm, his interest in the same should be administered according to law.

It was further provided that all monies received by the firm should be deposited in the First Trust and Savings Bank of Canton, Ohio, and each of the partners should have the right to write and execute checks on such account in the conduct and management of the business. The names- of all three of the Cains were placed on the printed checks of Cain & Cain prior to January 7, 1943, and the grandfather, father, and son were authorized to sign checks. During the period, however, from August 1942 until early November 1944, no checks were drawn on such bank account by Dr. Charles C. Cain.

From December 5, 1942, to October 30, 1944, Dr. Charles C. Cain took no part in the operation or management of Cain & Cain except for minor services during two or three brief leaves from the Navy.

On October 30,1944, Dr. Charles C. Cain, having returned from the service, practiced his profession with plaintiff in Canton, exercising all the rights, performing all the duties, and sharing equally in all profits of the business until August 1952 when his younger brother, Joseph H. Cain, became an additional partner.

The original agreement between plaintiff and Dr. Charles C. Cain had been cancelled in 1945 and a new agreement had been entered into providing for a new copartnership between plaintiff and Dr. Charles C. Cain without any restriction on Dr. Charles C. Cain’s interest in the income or assets of the firm.

[192]*192Dr. Joseph M. Cain called in an accountant who set up the usual account books for a partnership beginning January 1, 1943. Such books were maintained under the partnership name of Cain & Cain during all times material to this case. For the years 1943 and 1944 income tax returns were filed showing distributable income of the business in the amounts of $70,346.36 and $89,283.30 for those respective years. These amounts were shown to be distributable one-half to each partner, Joseph M. Cain and Charles C. Cain.

Plaintiff filed these returns and paid the taxes shown due thereon for himself and also caused to be filed a similar return in the name of his son, Dr. Charles C. Cain. He paid the taxes for each by check, charging the check for his son’s taxes to the drawing account of Dr. Charles C. Cain.

In May 1947 the Commissioner of Internal Revenue ruled that no bona fide partnership recognizable for income tax purposes existed between Dr. Joseph M. Cain and Dr. Charles C. Cain in the years 1943 and 1944. He levied additional assessments against Dr. Joseph M. Cain, charging him with the entire receipts, together with interest on the deficiency assessment. The details are set out in findings 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. Credit was given against the additional assessment by the application of the payment that had been made in the name of Charles C. Cain, which had first been placed in a suspension account. The final adjustment was made on April 26,1948.

On March 13,1950, plaintiff filed claims for refund for the years 1943 and 1944.

Plaintiff’s claim for refund for the year 1944 was rejected on November 17, 1950. At the time of filing the petition in the Court of Claims the refund claim for the year 1943 had not been acted on.

Plaintiff sues for the refund which he claims is due for each of the two years.

Both parties have cited the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Commissioner v. Culbertson, 337 U. S. 733. After a careful reading of the decision in that case we do not believe that plaintiff brings himself within the framework of that decision for the period between January 1, [193]*1931943, and October 30,1944. We quote the following language from pages 739,740, and 742:

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Bluebook (online)
135 F. Supp. 516, 133 Ct. Cl. 188, 48 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 606, 1955 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 28, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cain-v-united-states-cc-1955.