Egbert v. United States

752 F. Supp. 1010, 1990 WL 197698
CourtDistrict Court, D. Wyoming
DecidedDecember 2, 1990
DocketC89-0219J, C90-0084J
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 752 F. Supp. 1010 (Egbert v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Wyoming primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Egbert v. United States, 752 F. Supp. 1010, 1990 WL 197698 (D. Wyo. 1990).

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ALAN B. JOHNSON, District Judge.

The above captioned matters came before the Court for hearing on pending dis- *1013 positive motions on June 11, 1990 and September 26, 1990. The cases have been consolidated to decide the motions for summary judgment made by the United States in C89-0219 and C90-0084 and a cross motion for summary judgment made by Howard Egbert in C90-0084. The court, having considered the materials on file both in support of and in opposition to the motions, having considered the arguments of the parties, and being fully advised in the premises, FINDS and ORDERS as follows:

BACKGROUND

These cases arise from Howard P. Eg-bert’s failure to file federal income tax returns for the 1978 through 1983 tax years, resulting in a determination of tax deficiencies against him by the Internal Revenue Service. The Government contends that they properly assessed Egbert for his tax deficiencies, properly notified him and demanded payment but that he failed to voluntarily pay the tax. In an effort to collect the tax administratively, the Government filed Notices of Federal Tax Lien with the Sweetwater County, Wyoming, Clerk naming Egbert as taxpayer and served Notice of Levy on Egbert’s employer, attaching Egbert’s wages. Additionally, the Government levied on Eg-bert’s bank account and seized and sold his pickup truck. The Government then proceeded civilly against Mr. Egbert by filing a complaint in this court seeking to reduce Mr. Egbert’s tax liability to judgment. Eg-bert countered by filing a complaint on August 3, 1989, contending that the levies and liens placed on his property and wages were unlawful and constitute a deprivation of liberty and property without due process. The claim is premised upon allegations that the Government failed to properly assess his tax liability, failed to notify him of any assessment and failed to demand payment before recording liens and seizing his property. Egbert seeks a decree quieting title to the property seized from him, the return of the truck sale proceeds, damages for unlawful disclosure of tax return information, an order removing liens and levies, an injunction preventing further unauthorized disclosures and summary judgment in the collection suit.

JURISDICTION

Howard Egbert asks this court to review the propriety of government action resulting in liens and levies on his property in connection with the procedural requirements of 26 U.S.C. §§ 6201, 6203, 6303(a), 6213(a), and 6331. Egbert asks the court, without first requiring him to pay the tax, to quiet title to property and money already seized by the United States; quiet title to property Egbert presently owns; and to award damages caused by the Government’s wrongful disclosure of confidential tax return information. The threshold issue is whether the district court has subject matter jurisdiction to consider Mr. Egbert’s claims. In taking on this task the Court must untangle the network of assessment, notice, demand, lien, levy and other tax statutes that two federal courts have characterized as “unworkable” and “so complicated that even the IRS admits it cannot completely understand it.” Rodriquez v. United States, 629 F.Supp. 333, 336 (N.D.Ill.1986) quoting White v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 537 F.Supp. 679, 689 (D.Colo.1982).

28 U.S.C. § 2410

It is firmly established that the United States, as sovereign, “is immune from suit save as it consents to be sued ... and the terms of its consent to be sued in any court define that court’s jurisdiction to entertain the suit.” United States v. Sherwood, 312 U.S. 584, 587-588, 61 S.Ct. 767, 770, 85 L.Ed. 1058 (1941). Any lawsuit brought against the United States which is (1) not provided for by statute, or (2) does not comply with the statutory requirements must be dismissed because it is jurisdiction-ally defective. See, United States v. Testan, 424 U.S. 392, 96 S.Ct. 948, 47 L.Ed.2d 114 (1976); Land v. Dollar, 330 U.S. 731, 67 S.Ct. 1009, 91 L.Ed. 1209 (1947). Egbert first relies upon 28 U.S.C. § 2410(a) to provide a waiver of immunity giving this court a jurisdictional basis to consider the factual issues he presents. Section 2410(a) reads:

*1014 Under the conditions prescribed in this section and section 1444 of this title for the protection of the United States, the United States may be named a party in any civil action or suit in any district court, or in any State court having jurisdiction of the subject matter—
(1) to quiet title to,
(2) to foreclose a mortgage or other lien upon,
(3) to partition
(4) to condemn, or
(5) of interpleader or in the nature of interpleader with respect to,
real or personal property on which the United States has or claims a mortgage or other lien. 28 U.S.C. § 2410(a).

It is a well established principle that a person who wishes to challenge his federal tax assessment in district court must remit his tax before seeking review, or in other words “pay first and litigate later.” Flora v. United States, 362 U.S. 145, 164, 80 S.Ct. 630, 641, 4 L.Ed.2d 623 (1960). If, however, a taxpayer seeks to quiet title to property upon which the United States has a lien, he may bring a quiet title action in district court under section 2410(a), without paying the tax, and sovereign immunity will be waived to allow the court to determine whether the procedures used to enforce the lien were proper. Aqua Bar & Lounge, Inc. v. United States, 539 F.2d 935 (3rd Cir.1976). Section 2410(a) does not broadly grant jurisdiction to any taxpayer seeking to quiet title, but merely provides a limited waiver of immunity in that it does not permit a collateral attack on the merits of the tax assessment that gave rise to the lien. Pollack v. United States, 819 F.2d 144 (6th Cir.1987).

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Bluebook (online)
752 F. Supp. 1010, 1990 WL 197698, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/egbert-v-united-states-wyd-1990.