Pierce Oil Corp. v. United States

55 F. Supp. 731, 102 Ct. Cl. 360
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedJune 5, 1944
DocketNo. 45442
StatusPublished

This text of 55 F. Supp. 731 (Pierce Oil Corp. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pierce Oil Corp. v. United States, 55 F. Supp. 731, 102 Ct. Cl. 360 (cc 1944).

Opinion

LITTLETON, Judge.

The Pierce Oil Corporation and its receivers, herein referred to as “plaintiff”, brought this suit under section 821 of the Revenue Act of 1938, 52 Stat. 447, Title 26 U.S.C.A. Int.Rev.Code, § 3794 note, upon rejected claims for refund to recover $166,-670.88 representing one-half of alleged accrued interest of 12 percent per annum from October 24, 1933 to August 30, 1935, which interest it is alleged accrued and was paid for the period January 13, 1933 to August 30, 1935 upon additional income taxes. The several amounts making up the total sought to be recovered as interest paid are $70,601.53 for 1918, $81,156.61 for 1919, and $14,912.73 for 1920.

[741]*741Section 821, supra, is as follows:

"Interest accruing after October 24,1933, and before August 30, 1935, on delinquent income, estate, cmd gift taxes.

“Interest accruing after October 24, 1933, and prior to August 30, 1935, on delinquent income, estate, and gift taxes shall be computed at the rate of 6 per centum per annum. Any such interest accruing during such period which has been collected prior to the date of the enactment of this Act in excess of such rate shall be credited or refunded to the taxpayer, if claim therefor is filed within six months after the date of the enactment of this Act. No interest shall be allowed or paid on any such credit or refund.”

The above-quoted section was included in the Revenue Act of 1938 as a Senate Amendment offered on the Senate Floor while the act was under consideration and was agreed to on April 9, 1938, at which time the following occurred (Cong. Record. Vol. 83, Part 5, p. 5174):

“Mr. King. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment, with an explanation of it which. I ask to have printed in the Record.

“The Vice President. The amendment will be stated.

“The Chief Clerk. On page 369, between lines 7 and 8, it is proposed to insert the following new section: * * *

“Mr. Harrison. I have no objection to that amendment.

“The Vice President. Without objection, the amendment is agreed to; and, without objection, the explanation submitted by the Senator from Utah will be printed in the Record.

“The explanation is as follows:

“The purpose of this amendment is to reduce from 12 percent to 6 percent the interest rate in the case of a few taxpayers who during the depression were compelled to obtain extensions of time to pay their taxes. For many years the Treasury in such cases compromised interest liability for 6 percent, and in 1935 the exclusive 12-percent rate was reduced to 6 percent on the recommendation of the Treasury. In the case of a comparatively few, however, the Treasury was prevented from compromising and was compelled to collect the 12 percent because of an opinion of the Attorney General rendered in October 1933. This amendment cures the discrimination against those few taxpayers and gives equal treatment to all.”

Plaintiff’s claims for refund of alleged accrued interest in excess of 6 percent which it claimed to have paid were grounded wholly upon the provisions of section 821, and the only facts relied upon in support of those claims consisted of a computation, the results of which are set forth in finding 12, and which was made under the circumstances and in the manner set forth in finding 18. The grounds and the facts stated and relied upon as a basis for this suit are the same as set forth in the refund claims, in which plaintiff specifically disclaimed any desire, intention, or consent as to the reopening, disclaiming, setting aside, or modification of the offer of $2,035,721.77 in settlement and satisfaction of the controversy between the plaintiff and the Government with reference to plaintiff’s entire liability for the taxable years 1918, 1919, and 1920.

The position of plaintiff as stated in its brief and argument is, in substance, that under section 821 it is entitled to a refund of delinquent interest which it alleges it paid in excess of 6 percentum on certain additional taxes for the period! October 25, 1933 to August 29, 1935, both dates inclusive. It insists that this section is mandatory and that its right to recover the alleged accrued interest under the section is not affected by its accepted offer of $2,035,-721.77 in settlement and satisfaction of its entire liabilities for tax and interest with respect to the three years.

The position taken by counsel for the defendant is, in substance, first, that section 821 does not apply to this case because plaintiff did not pay any 12 percent statutory delinquent interest, as such, on additional taxes, but paid only a lump sum of $2,035,721.77 offered and accepted by the Government in compromise and settlement of plaintiff’s entire tax and interest liability in respect of the years 1918 to 1920, inclusive, which amount of $2,035,721.77 was $6,465.90 less than the total of the deficiencies in tax without interest claimed by the Government and computed in accordance with an opinion of the Board, of Tax Appeals; second, that section 821 was not intended to apply to a case where less than the full amount of tax and accrued delinquent interest thereon of 12 percent was paid; and, third, that the compromise and settlement was final and cannot be reopened or modified under section 821.

[742]*742Upon the facts disclosed by the record and set forth in the findings we are of opinion that plaintiff is not entitled to recover.

By clear language, section 821 applies and was intended to apply, as shown by the explanation made in the Senate, only in those cases where the taxpayer paid his tax and also accrued statutory delinquent interest at 12 percent during the period from October 24, 1933 to August 30, 1935, by reason of failure to pay the taxes shown upon its return or additional taxes assessed within ten days after notice and demand. The purpose of the section was to give relief to “those few taxpayers” who, because of an opinion of the Attorney General of October 24, 1934 (38 Op. Atty. Gen. 94), had been unable to compromise such accrued 12 percent delinquent interest. That opinion is not of importance here; it did not apply to compromise settlements in proper cases, such as the case of this taxpayer, and it was so clarified October 2, 1934 (38 Op. Atty. Gen. 98), long before plaintiff’s case was settled by compromise of the disputed tax and interest liability.

A clear indication of Congressional intention would be necessary to justify an interpretation and application of section 821 so as to reopen compromise settlements of tax and interest liability where a lump-sum amount offered by the taxpayer, as the most he could pay, and accepted on that ground, under authority to compromise, is less than the disputed tax without interest determined and claimed at the time of the offer. Indication of such an intent is entirely absent in the language and explanation of the section. On the contrary, it appears clear that Congress was legislating for the relief of those few taxpayers who were unable to compromise and settle their accrued statutory liability for the 12 percent delinquent interest, rather than for the relief of those taxpayers who could and did compromise and settle their liquidated though disputed tax and interest liability.

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55 F. Supp. 731, 102 Ct. Cl. 360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pierce-oil-corp-v-united-states-cc-1944.