Pacetti v. United States

50 Fed. Cl. 239, 88 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5477, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 2001 WL 915241
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedAugust 10, 2001
DocketNo. 00-285T
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 50 Fed. Cl. 239 (Pacetti v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pacetti v. United States, 50 Fed. Cl. 239, 88 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5477, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 2001 WL 915241 (uscfc 2001).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

HEWITT, Judge.

Plaintiff, Bartola J. Paeetti, appearing pro se, seeks a refund of several federal income tax payments. These income tax payments arise from a one hundred percent tax liability incurred by plaintiff for failure to file employment taxes for Triad Microsystems, Inc. (Triad). Complaint (Compl.) at 1. According to plaintiff, this tax liability results from a [242]*242breach of contract by the United States Army Aviation Missile Command (MICOM). Plaintiff seeks a refund of taxes and sale proceeds from property allegedly seized by defendant, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as payment for plaintiff’s tax penalty for failure to pay employment taxes. Compl. at 4-5. Defendant moves to dismiss plaintiffs complaint for lack of jurisdiction and failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Motion of the United States to Dismiss Plaintiffs Complaint and Memorandum in Support Thereof (Def.’s MTD) at iv.

For the following reasons, defendant’s motion to dismiss is GRANTED.

I. Background

Plaintiffs complaint arises from taxes and tax penalties assessed against plaintiff and Triad. Plaintiff is president of Triad and was the only officer responsible for filing the company’s employment taxes for the fourth quarter of 1986, the second, third, and fourth quarters of 1987, and the second quarter of 1988. Compl. at 2. When plaintiff failed to pay these taxes, the IRS assessed a one hundred percent tax penalty against plaintiff, pursuant to § 6672. Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) § 6672 (“Any person required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over any tax imposed by this title who willfully fails to collect such tax ... shall ... be liable to a penalty equal to the total amount of the tax evaded.”); Compl. at 2. According to plaintiff, Triad failed to pay the employment taxes for these periods because MICOM failed to honor the progress payments provision in its contract with Triad (Missile Contract) and the provisions of a related offset agreement (Guaranteed Offset Agreement) to which the IRS was also a party. Compl. at Count 1, 11111-2.1 MICOM’s actions allegedly caused Triad to incur an additional $2,900,000 in interest and penalties. Id. at Count 1,113. In particular, plaintiff asserts that MICOM’s violations of the guaranteed offset agreement and failure to direct payment of $637,737.50 to the IRS caused Triad and plaintiff to incur other tax liabilities and continued accrual of penalties and interest. Compl. at Count 4.

Plaintiff also alleges that the IRS violated the Taxpayer Bill of Rights by disclosing tax information regarding plaintiff and Triad to unauthorized persons which, among other things, blocked Triad’s receipt of funds due Triad under an Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) judgment. Compl. at Count 3. According to plaintiff, this disclosure resulted in the IRS filing a false levy against Triad. Id. Plaintiff also alleges that the IRS failed to credit Triad’s account for payments and failed to grant plaintiff or Triad an audit or hearing in violation of plaintiffs and Triad’s civil rights. Compl. at Count 5. The IRS has also allegedly refused plaintiffs request for a hearing under I.R.C. § 6320, failed to audit or credit the account, and ignored plaintiffs requests for abatement and refund filed in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000. Compl. at Count 2, H 2.

Additionally, plaintiff claims a one-half community property interest in the sale proceeds from his former marital home in Villa Park, California (Villa Park Property). Compl. at Count 2, H1. According to plaintiff, the IRS breached an agreement with his ex-wife, Renate Paeetti, to allow her to reinvest the sale proceeds from this home. Id. Instead the IRS put a lien on the proceeds which remain in escrow pending the outcome of Renate Pacetti’s personal bankruptcy suit. Id. According to plaintiff, the IRS violated the civil rights of plaintiff, Triad, and Renate Paeetti regarding the sale proceeds from the Villa Park Property. Id. at H 2. Plaintiff also contends that the IRS seized and sold his real property in Orlando, Florida in 1991 (Orlando Property). Compl. at 1. Plaintiff seeks a return of his community property interest in the Villa Park Property and sale proceeds from the Orlando Property. Compl. at 4.

Defendant moves to dismiss each of plaintiffs claims for lack or jurisdiction or failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Def.’s MTD at iv.

II. Discussion

A. Standard of Review

Defendant bases its motion to dismiss on Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(4) of the Rules of [243]*243the Court of Federal Claims (RCFC). Rule 12(b)(1) provides for dismissal of a claim for which the court has a “lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter.”2 RCFC 12(b)(1). A court’s subject matter jurisdiction depends on the “court’s general power to adjudicate in specific areas of substantive law.” Palmer v. United States, 168 F.3d 1310, 1313 (Fed.Cir.1999). Rule 12(b)(4) provides for dismissal when a plaintiff “fail[s] to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” RCFC 12(b)(4). Rule 12(b)(4) addresses “the question of whether in a specific case a court is able to exercise its general power with regard to the facts peculiar to the specific claim.” Palmer, 168 F.3d at 1313. Dismissal under Rule 12(b)(4) constitutes an adjudication on the merits. Spruill v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd., 978 F.2d 679, 686 (Fed.Cir.1992); Maniere v. United States, 31 Fed.Cl. 410, 419 (1994).

In weighing the evidence in a motion to dismiss, “whether on the ground of lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter or for failure to state a cause of action, the allegations of the complaint should be construed favorably to the pleader.” Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683, 40 L.Ed.2d 90 (1974); Hamlet v. United States, 873 F.2d 1414, 1416 (Fed.Cir.1989); LaMirage, Inc. v. United States, 44 Fed.Cl. 192, 196 (1999). On motion to dismiss, the court must presume that undisputed factual allegations in the complaint are true. Miree v. DeKalb County, 433 U.S. 25, 27 n. 2, 97 S.Ct. 2490, 53 L.Ed.2d 557 (1977); Reynolds v. Army & Air Force Exch. Serv., 846 F.2d 746, 747 (Fed.Cir.1988); La Mirage, Inc., 44 Fed.Cl. at 196.

B. Issues

Plaintiffs alleged injuries stem from a number of specific circumstances, namely: 1) alleged breach by MICOM of the Missile Contract and Guaranteed Offset Agreement (Compl. at Counts 1, 2, and 4), as to which the court examines the issue of standing, collateral estoppel, failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted, and statute of limitations; 2) plaintiffs refund requests for years 1987, 1988, 1994, and 1995 and requests for abatement filed in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000 (Compl. at 4-5; Compl. at Count 2), as to which the court examines the issue of statute of limitations; 3) failure by the IRS to provide an administrative hearing (Compl. at Count 2), as to which the court addresses the issue of jurisdiction; 4) failure by the IRS to honor requests for audits, transcripts, and hearing (Compl.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Burson v. United States
Federal Claims, 2026
MARSH v. United States
Federal Claims, 2025
Peretz v. United States
Federal Claims, 2020
Dezman v. United States
Federal Claims, 2016
Byrne v. United States
127 Fed. Cl. 284 (Federal Claims, 2016)
Goines v. United States
Federal Claims, 2015
Woodruff v. United States
122 Fed. Cl. 761 (Federal Claims, 2015)
Machulas v. United States
107 Fed. Cl. 119 (Federal Claims, 2012)
Lowe v. United States
79 Fed. Cl. 218 (Federal Claims, 2007)
Lawrence v. Umlic-Five Corp.
2007 NCBC 30 (North Carolina Business Court, 2007)
Keeter Trading Co. v. United States
79 Fed. Cl. 243 (Federal Claims, 2007)
Galen Medical Associates, Inc. v. United States
74 Fed. Cl. 377 (Federal Claims, 2006)
Rodriguez v. United States
69 Fed. Cl. 487 (Federal Claims, 2006)
Smith v. United States
58 Fed. Cl. 374 (Federal Claims, 2003)
Commonwealth Edison Co. v. United States
56 Fed. Cl. 652 (Federal Claims, 2003)
Deason v. United States
54 Fed. Cl. 509 (Federal Claims, 2002)
Franklin Federal Savings Bank v. United States
53 Fed. Cl. 690 (Federal Claims, 2002)
First Heights Bank, FSB v. United States
53 Fed. Cl. 195 (Federal Claims, 2002)
Coast-to-Coast Financial Corp. v. United States
53 Fed. Cl. 241 (Federal Claims, 2002)
Centex Corp. v. United States
52 Fed. Cl. 599 (Federal Claims, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
50 Fed. Cl. 239, 88 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5477, 2001 U.S. Claims LEXIS 156, 2001 WL 915241, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pacetti-v-united-states-uscfc-2001.