Pokorny Realty Co. v. United States

59 F.2d 236, 75 Ct. Cl. 450, 11 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 416, 1932 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 363
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedJune 6, 1932
DocketNo. L-30
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 59 F.2d 236 (Pokorny Realty Co. 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
Pokorny Realty Co. v. United States, 59 F.2d 236, 75 Ct. Cl. 450, 11 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 416, 1932 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 363 (cc 1932).

Opinion

WILLIAMS, Judge.

The plaintiff claims that during the taxable year ending May 31, 1923, it was, within the meaning of the applicable statutes, affiliated with two other corporations, to wit, M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, and Pokorny Estate, Inc.; that during the taxable years ending, respectively, May 33, 1924, and May 31, 3926, it was affiliated with M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited; and that it is entitled to have its tax liability for those years computed on the basis of such affiliations instead of on [240]*240its own separate return, as held by the Commissioner of.Internal Revenue.

If plaintiff is entitled to have its taxes for the years in question computed upon the affiliated basis claimed, it has overpaid its taxes for the years 1923, 1924, and 1926, in the sum claimed, which amount it is entitled to recover, together with interest as provided by law.

The applicable provisions of the statutes as to the taxes for’ the year 1923 are found in section 240, subdivisions (a) and (c) of the Revenue Act of 1921 (42 Stat. 227, 260):

“(a) That corporations which are affiliated within the meaning of this section may, for any taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1922, make separate returns or, under regulations prescribed by the Commissioner with the approval of the Secretary, make a consolidated return- of net income for the purpose of this title, in which ease the taxes thereunder shall be computed and determined upon the basis of such return. If return is made on either of such bases, all re-turps thereafter made shall.be upon the same basis unless permission to change the basis is granted by the commissioner. * * *

“(c) For the purpose of this section two or more domestic corporations shall be deemed to be affiliated (1) if one corporation owns directly or.controls through closely affiliated interests or by a nominee or nominees substantially all the stock of the other or others, or (2) if substantially all the stock of two or more corporations is owned or controlled by the samé interests.”

Sections 240, subdivisions (a) and (e) of the Revenue Acts of 1924 (43 Stat. 253, 288 [26 USCA § 993 and.note]), and 1926 (44 Stat. 9, 46 [26 USCA § 993]) are the applicable statutes for-the years.1924 and 1926, respectively; subdivision (a) of the two acts is identical with subdivision (a) of section 240 of the Revenue Act of 1921. Subdivision (c) of the said acts is somewhat changed and reads as-follows: “(e) For the purpose of this section two or more domestic corporations shall be deemed to be affiliated (1) if one corporation owns at least 95 per centum of the voting stock of the other or others, or (2) if at least 95 per centum, of the voting stock of two or more corporations is owned by the same interests. * * * ”

• - The plaintiff was engaged mainly in owning and renting real estate. The business of Pokorny Estate, Inc., was substantial^ the same as that of plaintiff. M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, was engaged in conducting retail shoe stores. The capital stock of the plaintiff consisted of 1,500 shares, of the par value of $100 each.

The stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, consisted of 450 shares of the par value of $100 each.

The stock of Pokorny Estate, Inc., consisted of 1,494 shares, of the par value of $100.00 each.

The stockholders of the three corporations, and the percentage of stock held by them in the respective corporations were:

Pokorny Realty Company

Nanie Haas Pokorny.................. 30%

Clara M. Pokorny..................... 20%

Bertha Pokorny Kamien............. 20%

- 70%

M. E. Levey........................... 10%

Coleman E. Adler..................... 10%

Julius Goldstein ...................... 10%

- 30%

M. Pokorny é Sons, Limited

Nanie Haas Pokorny................. 37.77%

Clara M. Pokorny............... 33.33%

Bertha Pokorny Kamien............. 6.67%

- 77.77%

Bella Pokorny Levey........,........ 6.67%

Rosa Pokorny Adler................ 6.67%

Leonora Pokorny Goldstein.......... 6.67%

Ralph Pokorny Levey................. 2.22%

- 22.23%

Pokorny Estate, Inc.

Nanie Plaas Pokorny.................. 14.86%

Clara M. Pokorny..................... 14.86%

Bertha Pokorny Kamien............. 14.86%

- 44.58%

Bella Pokorny Levey................. 14.86%

Rosa Pokorny Adler.................. 14.86%

Hanna Pokorny Haas................. 10.84%

- 55.42%

All the stockholders of the corporations involved are members of a single family, being the children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law of one Michael Pokor-ny, deceased. The stock of the corporations was never voted in the ordinary sense, all business matters relating to the conduct of the corporations being arranged as a result of friendly--discussions by the stockholders at family meetings. Money was loaned be-. tween the various corporations without security or interest, and properties were leased by the corporations from and to each other at rentals lower than that charged to outsiders. The business of the three corporations was conducted- as one enterprise.

The majority stockholders owning 70 per cent, of the stock of the plaintiff own 77.77 per cent, of the stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, and 44.58 per cent, of the stock of Pokorny Estate, Inc. The minority stockholders owning 30 per cent, of the stock of the plaintiff own no stock whatever in either of .the other corporations. Minority stockholders owning 22.23 per cent, of the stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, own no [241]*241stock in the plaintiff company. Majority stockholders owning 55.42 per cent, of the stock in Pokorny Estate, Inc., own no stock in the plaintiff. It will be noted there is a wide divergence in the amount ol stock held in the three companies by the majority stockholders of plaintiff, hfanie Haas Pokorny holding 30 per cent, of the stock of plaintiff, 37.77 per cent, of the stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, and 14.86 per cent, of the stock in Pokorny Estate, Ine.; Clara M. Po-korny owning 20 per cent, of the stock of plaintiff, 33.33 per cent, of the stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, and 14.86 per cent, of the stock of Pokorny Estate, Ine.; while Bertha Pokorny Kamieti owns 20 per Cent, of the stock of plaintiff, 6.67 per cent, of the stock of M. Pokorny & Sons, Limited, and 14.86 per cent, of the stock of Pokorny Estate, Inc.

It is obvious from this statement of stock ownership that the same interests did not own or control substantially all the stock of each of the three corporations during’ the year 1923, and that the same interests did not own at least 95 per cent, of the voting stock of each of the corpor*ations or any two of them during the years 1924 and 1926. Handy & Harman v. Burnet, 284 U. S. 136, 52 S. Ct. 51, 52, 76 L. Ed. 207. The Supremo Court in the case cited had under consideration section 240 of the Revenue Act of 1918 (40 Stat. 1081), which is substantially the same as section 210 of the Revenue Act of 1921.

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Bluebook (online)
59 F.2d 236, 75 Ct. Cl. 450, 11 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 416, 1932 U.S. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 363, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pokorny-realty-co-v-united-states-cc-1932.