Cook, Comm. of Revenues v. Wofford, Chancellor

192 S.W.2d 550, 209 Ark. 824, 1946 Ark. LEXIS 486
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedFebruary 25, 1946
Docket4-7879
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 192 S.W.2d 550 (Cook, Comm. of Revenues v. Wofford, Chancellor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cook, Comm. of Revenues v. Wofford, Chancellor, 192 S.W.2d 550, 209 Ark. 824, 1946 Ark. LEXIS 486 (Ark. 1946).

Opinion

Robins, J.

The Coca-Cola Bottling Company, hereinafter referred to as the Company, is a domestic corporation with its principal place of business in the city of Ft. Smith. Pursuant to the requirements of the 1929 income tax act (Act 118 of the Acts of 1929, p. 573 et seq.) the Company filed its income tax return for the year 1943, and paid the taxes shown to be due on said return. In 1945, the Commissioner of Revenues made an examination and audit of said return and on October 19, 1945, issued to the Company a deficiency letter setting up a deficiency of $4,974.59 in the payment of taxes due by the Company; This letter granted the Company 30 days from its date to file written protest and request for a hearing, and within the time allowed, to-wit, on October 23, 1945, the Company filed its written protest and requested a hearing, which was accorded and had on November 13,1945, and on November 14th the Commissioner wrote the Company that its protest was disallowed. Within 30 days from the date of that letter, suit was brought in the Sebastian chancery court to review the action of the Commissioner. It was alleged that this action was taken pursuant to § 14055, Pope’s Digest, which was enacted as § 32 of said Act 118, and that the Commissioner had erroneously set up the deficiency to satisfy which, he claims a lien upon the real and personal property of the Company.

It was conceded by the Company that through an unintentional error, there was a deficiency for the year 1943, of $1,240.96 which the Company tendered at the hearing had on November 13, 1945, and that tender, with accrued interest, was renewed, and the Company offered also, if the Commissioner required, to pay into the registry of the court the full amount of the deficiency claimed by the Commissioner, with accrued interest, the same to be held pending review by the court and the final determination of the case. Wherefore, it was prayed by the Company that the action of the Commissioner be reviewed.

The Commissioner filed a motion to dismiss the proceeding upon the ground that the chancery court of Sebastían county did not have the jurisdiction to hear it, and when that motion was overruled the Commissioner applied here for an order prohibiting the Sebastian chancery ' court from further proceeding, and states in his brief that the sole issue for our determination is, whether the Sebastian chancery court has jurisdiction to review the Commissioner’s action herein recited. The decision of this question involves the construction of §§ 26, 31 and 32 of Act 118.

In imposing this additional tax assessment, the Commissioner proceeded under §' 26 of Act 118, now appearing as § 14049, Pope’s Digest, which section reads as follows:

“If the Commissioner discovers from the examination of the return or otherwise that the income of any taxpayer, or any portion thereof, has not been assessed, he may at any time within two (2) years after the time when the return was due assess the same and give notice to the taxpayer of such assessment, and such taxpayer shall thereupon have an opportunity, within thirty days, to confer with the Commissioner as to the proposed assessment.

“The limitation of two (2) years to the assessment of such tax or additional tax shall not apply to the assessment of additional taxes upon fraudulent returns. After the expiration of thirty days from such notification the Commissioner shall assess the income of such taxpayer or any portion thereof which he believes has not theretofore been assessed and shall give notice to the taxpayer so assessed, of the amount of the tax and interest and penalties, if any, and the amount thereof shall be due and payable within ten days from the date of such notice.

“The provisions of this Act with respect to revision and appeal shall apply to a tax assessed. No additional tax ¿mounting to less than one dollar shall be assessed. Ib. § 26.” This section was amended by § 4 of Act 140 of the Acts of 1939, to allow the Commissioner 3 years in which to make this examination and reassessment.

Section 31 of Act 118, now appearing as § 14054, Pope’s Digest, reads as follows:

“A taxpayer may apply to the Commissioner for revision of the tax assessed against him, at any time within one year from the time of the filing of the return from the date of the notice of the assessment of any additional tax. The Commissioner shall grant a hearing thereon and if, upon such hearing, he shall determine that the tax is excessive or incorrect, he-' shall resettle the same accordingly and adjust the computation of the tax accordingly.

“The Commissioner shall notify the taxpayer of his determination and shall refund the taxpayer the amount, if anv, paid in excess of the tax found by him to be due. Ib. % 31.”

It is conceded that following the word “return” and preceding the word “from” in this § 31, the word “or” should be inserted, as having been omitted from the act as passed. This would be authorized and required even though the word “or” had not been omitted, to give the act its manifest and intelligent meaning. State ex rel. v. Chicago Mill & Lbr. Corp., 184 Ark. 1011, 43 S. W. 2d 26.

Section 32 of Act 118, now appearing as § 14055, Pope’s Digest, reads as follows:

“The determination of the Commissioner upon any application made by a taxpayer for revision of any tax, may be reviewed in any court of competent jurisdiction by a complaint filed by the taxpayer against the Commissioner in the county in which the taxpayer resides or has his principal place of business, within thirty days after notice by the Commissioner of his determination, given as provided in § 31 of this act. Thereupon appropriate proceedings shall be had and the relief, if any to which the taxpayer may be found entitled, may be granted, and any taxes, interest or penalties paid found by the court to be in excess of those legally assessed, shall be ordered refunded to the taxpayer, with interest from lime of payment.

“The collection of income taxes under this act shall not be stayed or prevented by any injunction, writ or order issued by any court; and no writ, order or process of any kind, staying- or preventing- the Commissioner from taking any steps or proceedings in the assessment or collecting- of any income tax, whether the same is legally due or not, will be granted by any court or judge; but in all cases, the person against whom any income tax shall stand charged shall be required to pay the same, and thereupon shall have his remedy as hereinafter provided.

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Bluebook (online)
192 S.W.2d 550, 209 Ark. 824, 1946 Ark. LEXIS 486, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cook-comm-of-revenues-v-wofford-chancellor-ark-1946.