Lambert v. Cornish

459 F. Supp. 853, 42 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6297, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14672
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedOctober 27, 1978
DocketCiv. A. No. 78-K-818
StatusPublished

This text of 459 F. Supp. 853 (Lambert v. Cornish) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lambert v. Cornish, 459 F. Supp. 853, 42 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6297, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14672 (D. Colo. 1978).

Opinion

ORDER OF DISMISSAL

KANE, District Judge.

This action was removed from the state court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1) and § 1446. Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment on September 28, 1978. [854]*854The plaintiff has not responded to the motion nor in any other manner complied with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The pro se complaint in this action alleges that defendant John P. Cornish, Special Agent in the Criminal Investigation Division, Denver District, Internal Revenue Service, violated plaintiffs constitutional rights by questioning plaintiff regarding his 1975 and 1976 tax returns.

Specifically alleged is that defendant Cornish, on June 15, 1977, came to plaintiff’s home in an attempt to “unlawfully interrogate” plaintiff about his 1975 and 1976 “so-called” tax returns. Plaintiff urges that such action constituted “trespass for malicious prosecution”; slander; libel; defamation of character; a deprivation of plaintiff’s “common law rights to due process at common law”; and an action for damages arising under “the common law or unwritten law, and the Federal Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights.”

Plaintiff urges that the “so-called” income tax laws do not apply to private individuals, only statutory persons or individual citizens that have been naturalized in the state where they reside. He argues that the Internal Revenue Code does not specify that it applies to people “born,” hence, making the income tax laws inapplicable to him. Plaintiff contends that the “so-called criminal income tax prosecution of plaintiff constitutes Malicious Prosecution With Evil Intent.”

Furthermore, plaintiff asserts that the code terms “person” and “individual” do not place civil or criminal liability upon “natural persons” or “private individuals” and that the vagueness of those terms leaves the “poor” layperson at a loss in determining to whom they apply. Plaintiff argues that with a “little threat, force and coercion from the I.R.S., the [Plaintiff] can be convinced by his employer that those two Foreign, Insidious, and Deceptive words apply to [Plaintiff]; . . .”

In conclusion, plaintiff contends that neither the I.R.S. nor defendant Cornish has “jurisdiction” over the plaintiff or his records.

In support of his motion for summary judgment, defendant Cornish submitted his affidavit, setting forth, in part, the following facts:

That on June 21, 1977 he was assigned to investigate possible violations of the Internal Revenue laws by plaintiff Lambert; that on June 27, 1977, Special Agent Donald W. Karch and the affiant met plaintiff Lambert at his residence; that they identified themselves and informed plaintiff that the I.R.S. had no record of him filing a federal income tax return for the years 1975 or 1976 and that they were there to determine why; that upon request of plaintiff Lambert a certified letter, dated June 29, 1977 was sent to the plaintiff establishing a time and place for a meeting along with a request that plaintiff bring with him certain books and records relating to his income and expenses for the years 1975 and 1976; that at this July 7, 1977 meeting affiant introduced himself and Special Agent Karch to plaintiff Lambert and informed plaintiff that their function was to investigate the possibility of criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Laws; that a statement was read to plaintiff Lambert advising him that his tax liability was being investigated and that he had a fifth amendment right to remain silent if any information or answers would tend to incriminate him; that he was further advised that anything he might say could be used against him in any criminal proceedings which could be undertaken and that he could seek the assistance of an attorney before responding to any questions; that plaintiff Lambert chose not to waive his constitutional rights; that, at plaintiff’s request, on July 18,1978 affiant and Special Agent Frank D. Contos went to plaintiff’s home whereupon plaintiff was informed that his constitutional rights were still in effect; that plaintiff Lambert again refused to respond to most questions posed to him; that plaintiff indicated an amended 1975 federal income tax return had been filed and that in 1976 he had taken a vow of poverty [855]*855and had not filed a tax return; that a letter, dated September 15, 1977 was sent to plaintiff Lambert requesting certain information to determine the correct allowable itemized deductions to which he would be entitled for the years 1975 and 1976; that by return letter, dated October 3,1977, plaintiff responded by asserting that he would not answer these questions without waiving his fifth amendment rights; that affiant then caused to issue summonses to various financial institutions in order to determine the correctness of plaintiff’s 1975 return and to make a return for plaintiff for 1976; that plaintiff was notified upon the issuance of each summons to a third-party record-keeper; that on June 28, 1978 affiant sent plaintiff a letter requesting that plaintiff contact the affiant to set up a meeting in order for plaintiff to help identify portions of his bank records for 1975 and 1976; that all of the above action was undertaken by affiant in the belief that it was necessary and incident to his assigned duties and that each was carried out in good faith and within the scope of his duties as a Special Agent of the Internal Revenue Service; and, finally, that except for the contacts set forth above, affiant has had no personal contacts with plaintiff Lambert in any capacity.

The Tenth Circuit has admonished trial judges to refrain from “trial by affidavit.” Thus, it must be determined whether the facts taken in the light most favorable to the vivification of plaintiff’s complaint are sufficient to sustain the cause of action. A complaint should not be dismissed for failure to state a claim unless it clearly appears that the complainant can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief. Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1975); Kennedy v. Meacham, 540 F.2d 1057 (10th Cir. 1976); Gregory v. Wyse, 512 F.2d 378 (10th Cir. 1975). Motions to dismiss pro se actions are rightfully held in disfavor.

It cannot be gainsaid that the United States government has the right to gather information for the collection of revenue. Donaldson v. United States, 400 U.S. 517, 91 S.Ct. 534, 27 L.Ed.2d 580 (1971); Pauldino v. United States, 500 F.2d 1369 (10th Cir. 1974). Under the authority of § 7602 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. § 7602, a Special Agent for the Internal Revenue Service can issue a summons

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459 F. Supp. 853, 42 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6297, 1978 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14672, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lambert-v-cornish-cod-1978.