Garcia v. Commissioner

1979 T.C. Memo. 151, 38 T.C.M. 666, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 372
United States Tax Court·Decided April 17, 1979·No. Docket No. 2269-78.·Unpublished

Opinion

RAYMOND J. GARCIA, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Garcia v. Commissioner
Docket No. 2269-78.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1979-151; 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 372; 38 T.C.M. (CCH) 666; T.C.M. (RIA) 79151;
April 17, 1979, Filed
Raymond J. Garcia, pro se.
Benjamin de Luna, for the respondent.

TANNEWALD

MEMORANDUM FINDINGS OF FACT AND OPINION

TANNENWALD, Judge: Respondent determined deficiencies in petitioner's income taxes as follows:

Additions to tax
YearDeficiencySec. 6654(a) 1Sec. 6653(a)Sec. 6651(a)
1975$5,727.00$247.00$286.00$1,432.00
19766,396.00238.00320.001,599.00

The deficiencies so determined were based upon an increase in the profits of petitioner's sole proprietorship, increased dividend and interest income, and the imposition of the self-employment tax. The additions to tax were asserted on the ground of*374 negligence (sec. 6653(a)), underpayment of estimated tax (sec. 6654(a)), and lack of reasonable cause for failure to file timely returns (sec. 6651(a)).

Petitioner had his legal residence in Lakewood, Colorado, at the time the petition herein was filed. The petition asserted that each of the determinations by respondent was in error but set forth no factual allegations in support of such claimed errors. The petition also set forth several constitutional grounds for disputing the respondent's determinations.

Respondent filed his answer denying all of the claimed erros and, upon due notice to the parties, the case was calendared for trial at Denver, Colorado, on March 5, 1979.

When the case was called for trial, petitioner appeared and filed a written motion to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction of this Court over the subject matter. His motion was based on a variety of constitutional and legal grounds, which he elaborated upon in oral argument. The principal foci of these grounds were: (a) the subject matter of this case has potential criminal elements and consequently the assertion of civil liabilities separately by an administrative agency of the United States Government*375 (in this case, the Internal Revenue Service) requires that the case be heard by a court having criminal jurisdiction (which this Court does not have) and subject to the provisions of the United States Constitution applicable to criminal cases; (b) petitioner is entitled to refuse to produce his books and records and to proceed to trial because of his privilege against self-incrimination and his right to due process under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution; (c) petitioner is, in any event, entitled to a trial by jury under the Seventh Amendment to the Constitution. As the Court repeatedly informed petitioner during the proceeding on March 5, 1979, his arguments are wholly without merit.

The jurisdiction of this Court to hear disputes arising from the determination of deficiencies by the respondent is established by the Internal Revenue Code (see secs. 6211 through 6215). That jurisdiction has been repeatedly sustained by the courts. Nash Miami Motors, Inc. v. Commissioner,358 F.2d 636 (5th Cir. 1966); Martin v. Commissioner,358 F.2d 63 (7th Cir. 1966). See also Burns, Stix Friedman & Co. v. Commissioner,57 T.C. 392 (1971).*376 Nor does the potential, or even actual, pendency of a criminal proceeding deprive us of jurisdiction. Cf. United States v. Blue,384 U.S. 251 (1966).

As to his claims of protection under the Fifth Amendment, petitioner has made no assertion that he is presently under investigation for any criminal tax violation, nor is there any indication in the record that such is the case. Under these circumstances, his refusal to produce his books and records or other evidence, based upon a general claim of the privilege against self-incrimination, cannot be sustained. Wilkinson v. Commissioner, 71 T.C.

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Garcia v. Commissioner, 1979 T.C. Memo. 151, 38 T.C.M. 666, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 372 (tax 1979).

1979 T.C. Memo. 151 (Garcia v. Commissioner) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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