Dobisch v. United States (In re Dobisch)

156 B.R. 546, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2032, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1944
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedApril 13, 1993
DocketBankruptcy No. 91-29792-D; Adv. No. 91-0811
StatusPublished

This text of 156 B.R. 546 (Dobisch v. United States (In re Dobisch)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dobisch v. United States (In re Dobisch), 156 B.R. 546, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2032, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1944 (Tenn. 1993).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

BERNICE BOUIE DONALD, Bankruptcy Judge.

This cause is before the Court on a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by plaintiff/debtor, Jeffrey Dobisch. On September 5, 1991, the debtor filed a voluntary petition under chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Under the debtor’s confirmed chapter 13 plan, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) was listed as a priority creditor to receive $159.00 per month. On December 27, 1991, the debtor filed this adversary proceeding seeking to have the claim filed by the IRS disallowed. On February 6, 1992, this court entered an “Order Granting Petition for Temporary Restraining Order” enjoining the chapter 13 trustee from making any disbursements to the IRS and ordering it to hold all payments to the IRS pending a final determination in the adversary proceeding with regard to the claim of the IRS. On March 17, 1992, the defendants filed their response to the plaintiff’s complaint and petition for temporary injunction.

Plaintiff argues in his motion for summary judgment that there is no genuine issue of material fact and moves the Court to enter an Order declaring that, as a matter of law:

[547]*5471. The United States of America is liable to plaintiff for $342.00 illegally levied upon by the IRS;
2. The Notice of Federal Tax Lien filed by the IRS which constitutes a lien on 1448 Merrycrest Drive, Memphis, Tennessee is null and void and that said lien be set aside;
3. The claim filed by the IRS in the instant case is not valid and should be disallowed and all funds held by the bankruptcy trustee pursuant to “Order Granting Petition for Temporary Restraining Order” be returned to plaintiff.

A remaining issue is whether the plaintiff is entitled to recover damages, costs, expenses and attorney’s fees pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 7430, 26 U.S.C. § 7432, 26 U.S.C. § 7433 and 28 U.S.C. § 2412.

BACKGROUND FACTS

Plaintiff is the surviving son of Donald Dobisch who died intestate on May 16, 1984. Pursuant to the Tennessee Laws of Intestate Succession, the plaintiff acquired an undivided interest in 1448 Merrycrest Drive, Memphis, Tennessee which was owned by Donald Dobisch at the time of his death.

Jeffrey Dobisch testified that either on April 15, 1985 or shortly before, he mailed a final Form 1040 on behalf of his deceased father for the tax year ending December 31, 1984. On June 13, 1985, the IRS sent a form letter to Jeffrey Dobisch explaining that it either needed more information or did not have the fully completed forms that were required. Specifically, he had either failed to file a Form 1310 or the Form 1310 did not contain enough information. See, Ex. 1. Dobisch was also to send other required documents such as a court certificate evidencing the plaintiffs appointment as personal representative and a copy of the death certificate. Id. The IRS received the additional information required on July 12, 1985. See Ex. 2 to Jeffrey Dobisch Affidavit.

On August 19, 1985, the IRS assessed the tax against the estate of Donald Do-bisch. The notice indicated that Donald Dobisch’s income tax liability was $2,887 for the tax year 1984. The Service Center also assessed a late filing penalty of $398.27, an under payment penalty of $163.28, a late penalty of $26.55 and interest of $129.67. See Ex. 2. On May 18, 1987, the Service Center abated the late filing penalty for “reasonable cause shown.” See Request for Adjustment.

On April 12, 1989, the IRS issued a Notice of Deficiency to the debtor in the amount of $2,975.00 as a transferee of assets of the deceased. Debtor did not file a petition with the Tax Court to contest the deficiency notice. The IRS avers it assessed the transferee’s liability of the tax owed by the deceased to Jeffrey Dobisch on October 2, 1989. Subsequently, the IRS filed a “Notice of Federal Tax Lien Under Internal Revenue Law” in the Shelby County Register’s Office and on July 8, 1991, wrote a letter to the debtor giving notice of intent to levy on the property. On August 15, 1991, the IRS gave notice of levy against the property and seized it on August 16, 1991.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Summary Judgment is available for a moving party only when, after consideration of the evidence presented by the pleadings, affidavits, answers to interrogatories, and depositions in a light most favorable to the non-moving party, there remain no genuine issues of material fact. F.R.B.P. 7056(c). The mere existence of some alleged factual dispute between the parties will not defeat an otherwise properly supported motion for summary judgment, the requirement being that there be no genuine issue of material fact. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Street v. J.C. Bradford & Co., 886 F.2d 1472 (6th Cir.1989).

ISSUES

The debtor requests summary judgment on the following three issues:

1. If the IRS assessed tax liability against Jeffrey J. Dobisch on October 2, 1989, was the assessment barred by [548]*548the statute of limitations set forth in Internal Revenue Code (“I.R.C.”) § 6901(c)?
2. Did the IRS assess transferee tax liability against Jeffrey J. Dobisch on October 2, 1989?
3. Did the IRS give proper notice of intent to levy against Jeffrey J. Do-bisch’s property as required by I.R.C. § 6631(d)?

DISCUSSION

A discussion of the issues will be taken in the order presented by the debtor. Thus, the Court will first consider whether the IRS timely assessed the transferee tax against Jeffrey Dobisch for the liability owed by Donald Dobisch.

I.R.C. § 6501(a) and § 6901(c) provide that the period of limitations for assessing tax against the transferee is one year after the expiration of the period for assessment against the transferor, which is three years. Furthermore, pursuant to I.R.C. § 6503(a)(1), the statute of limitations on assessment is suspended while the IRS is prohibited from assessing the tax (90 days) and for 60 more days following the prohibition of assessment. Thus, the IRS had four years plus 150 days from the time the IRS received a completed and signed final Form 1040 filed by the debtor on behalf of his deceased father in which to assess the transferee tax. Under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, the statute of limitations for assessment of a tax imposed under the Code commences to run on the date the return is actually filed. Automobile Club of Mich. v. C.I.R., 353 U.S. 180, 77 S.Ct.

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Related

Automobile Club of Mich. v. Commissioner
353 U.S. 180 (Supreme Court, 1957)
Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
477 U.S. 242 (Supreme Court, 1986)
Matter of IJ Knight Realty Corp.
431 F. Supp. 946 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1977)
Haring v. United States
142 F. Supp. 782 (N.D. Ohio, 1956)

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Bluebook (online)
156 B.R. 546, 1993 Bankr. LEXIS 2032, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1944, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dobisch-v-united-states-in-re-dobisch-tnwb-1993.