Cellarmaster Wines of Missouri, Inc. v. Kennedy

603 F. Supp. 793, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23236
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJanuary 22, 1985
DocketCiv. A. No. 84-4113
StatusPublished

This text of 603 F. Supp. 793 (Cellarmaster Wines of Missouri, Inc. v. Kennedy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cellarmaster Wines of Missouri, Inc. v. Kennedy, 603 F. Supp. 793, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23236 (D. Kan. 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

EARL E. O’CONNOR, Chief Judge.

This matter comes before the court on the motion of plaintiff Cellarmaster Wines of Missouri, Inc., (Cellarmaster) for a preliminary injunction. Cellarmaster and defendant Thomas J. Kennedy, Director of the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, (the Director) have submitted a “Stipulation of Facts” to accompany the motion. For the reasons set out below, we will deny the injunction.

I. Facts.

The following nine paragraphs constitute the Stipulation of Facts submitted by the parties. (We note that the ninth Stipulation of Fact is immaterial to our decision in this matter.)

1. That plaintiff, Cellarmaster, is a Missouri corporation licensed to do business at 6942-6942 ½ North Oak Traffic Way, Gladstone, Missouri, and is engaged in the business of intrastate and interstate commerce as a retailer of alcoholic liquor, principally wine, from its licensed premises, as above.
2. Defendant Kennedy, acting in his capacity as the Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue (hereinafter “Director”), is charged with the duty of regulating the distribution and sale of intoxicating liquor within the State of Kansas and in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas, including the Kansas Liquor Control Act, K.S.A. 41-101 et seq.
3. Cellarmaster is a licensed retailer of alcoholic liquor in the State of Missouri — Division of Liquor Control. Cellar-master is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cellarmaster Wines, Inc., a Florida corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aura Promotions Ltd., a Delaware corporation.
4. The State of Missouri has authorized the sale of distilled spirits, wine and beer through private enterprise pursuant to the Twenty-First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Cellarmaster is licensed by the State of Missouri to sell distilled spirits, wine and beer from its retail outlets in the State of Missouri.
[795]*7955. Cellarmaster has and does sell wine to Kansas residents from its licensed premise in Gladstone, Missouri.
6. On or about August 3,1983, Cellar-master, through its counsel, Mr. Morton Siegel, was notified by Mr. Richard Hod-son, Assistant Attorney General, on behalf of the Director, that the activities of Cellarmaster were considered to be illegal under the laws of the State of Kansas. Such notification was based upon the assertion that Cellarmaster was selling alcoholic liquor in Kansas without a license and in violation of K.S.A. 41-104, K.S.A. 41-301, K.S.A. 41-308 and K.S.A. 41-901; that Cellarmaster was selling untaxed liquor in violation of K.S.A. 41-501 and K.S.A. 41-901 and that Cellar-master was transporting liquor into the State of Kansas in violation of K.S.A. 41-724.
7. By letter dated September 23, 1983, the Director requested from Cellar-master restitution of gallonage and enforcement taxes, including penalty and interest, on estimated sales in Kansas for the previous twelve months. In exchange for this payment, the Director agreed not to pursue other legal remedies against Cellarmaster for any prior illegal acts in Kansas. Payment was made on or around September 29, 1983.
8. Cellarmaster has, and does, and stands prepared to, voluntarily collect and remit the gallonage tax collectible pursuant to K.S.A. 41-501.
9. Sometime in March, 1978, a gift consisting of 15 cases of wine was delivered to the City of Wichita, Kansas, from Orleans, France. Special legislation was passed to allow the city to pay the gallon-age tax upon that wine, which action the legislature felt was necessary to allow the city to possess this wine.

II. Statutory Framework.

Before summarizing the respective positions of the parties, it seems wise to lay out the statutory framework at issue here. The Kansas Liquor Control Act, K.S.A. 41-101 et seq., contains the following general prohibition:

No person shall manufacture, bottle, blend, sell, barter, transport, deliver, furnish or possess any alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes, except as specifically provided in this act.

K.S.A. 41-104. The only exception relevant to this case provides that nothing contained in this act shall prevent:

(1) The possession and transportation of alcoholic liquor for the personal use of the possessor, his or her family and guests except that the provisions of K.S.A. 41-1103 relating to transportation and the provisions of K.S.A. 41-407 shall be applicable to all persons.

K.S.A. 41-104(1).

Of the two provisions referred to in this exception, K.S.A. 41-1103 was merely transitional and is no longer relevant. The other provision, K.S.A. 41-407, provides that

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(1) Evade, or attempt to evade, the payment of tax or duty on any alcoholic liquor, in any manner whatever....
(2) Have in his or her possession any cask or package of alcoholic liquor, without having thereon each mark and stamp required therefor by law.

K.S.A. 41-407(a)(1), (2).

Under K.S.A. 41-501, the State of Kansas imposes a tax “upon the manufacturing, using, selling, storing or purchasing [of] alcoholic liquors in this state....” K.S.A.

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Bluebook (online)
603 F. Supp. 793, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23236, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cellarmaster-wines-of-missouri-inc-v-kennedy-ksd-1985.