Restaurant v. Glander

46 Ohio Law. Abs. 302
CourtUnited States Board of Tax Appeals
DecidedFebruary 19, 1946
DocketNo. 9700
StatusPublished

This text of 46 Ohio Law. Abs. 302 (Restaurant v. Glander) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Board of Tax Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Restaurant v. Glander, 46 Ohio Law. Abs. 302 (bta 1946).

Opinion

[303]*303ENTRY '

This is an appeal from a sales tax assessment made by the tax commissioner against the appellant in the sum of $2987.59, including penalty, for the period from January. 1, 1940, to December 31, 1943. The notice of appeal which was filed with this Board on January 29, 1945, reads as follows:

“The purpose of this letter is to furnish you the written notice required under §5611 GC, with reference to appeals from the final determination of the Tax Commissioner of Ohio, and to request a hearing upon said determination on appeal whereat said appellant may produce additional evidence. It is the desire of the appellant to have said hearing on appeal conducted, if possible, at Youngstown in Mahoning County.
“This appeal is taken on the ground that the decision of the Tax Commissioner is contrary to law; that it is unreasonable and unlawful; that it is not sustained by the evidence and is contrary to the evidence and that the said decision is against the weight of the evidence-; that the assessment fixed by the Tax Commissioner is excessive, contrary to law and the evidencee.
“This appeal is filed as of right under the provisions of §5611 GC.
“The Tax Commissioner rendered his decision under date of December 29th, 1944 assessing appellant $2597.90 and fixing a penalty of $389.69, making a total assessment of $2,987.59.”'

This cause was called for hearing in Cleveland on May 22, 1945, at which time it was continued at the request of appellant. The case was thereafter called for hearing in Cleveland on November 13, 1945, at which time it was continued at the request of appellee. On November 30, 1945, the appellant filed an application for leave to amend its notice of appeal by adding thereto a copy of the notice sent by the tax commissioner to the appellant of the final determination complained of. Prior to the amendment of §5611 GC, effective July 4, 1941, this Board held that the statute as it then existed did not specifically provide for setting forth in the notice of appeal a full copy of the notice of the final order of the tax commissioner. The Supreme Court held to the same effect in Trotwood Trailers, Inc. v Evatt, 142 Oh [304]*304St 197, 51 N. E. (2d) 645. The second branch of the syllabus reads as follows:

“A notice of appeal to the Board of Tax Appeals, seasonably filed, which does not ‘set out’ a complete copy of the tax assessment made by the Tax Commissioner, from which the appeal is taken, which does not contain a specification of the errors complained of, but which does describe the assessment as made on a certain date, and which states that the appeal is on questions of law and fact, is not jurisdictionally defective and may, on motion, be corrected by amendment.”

However, the statute as amended contains the following provision:

- “Such appeals shall be taken by the filing of a written notice to that effect with the board of tax appeals and'with the tax commissioner within thirty days after notice of the tax assessment, reassessment, valuation, determination, finding, computation or order, by the tax commissioner, shall have been given or otherwise evidenced, as required by law.

The notice of such appeal shall set forth or shall have attached thereto and incorporated therein by reference, a true copy of the notice sent by the commissioner to the taxpayer of the final determination complained of, and shall also certify the error or errors therein complained of.”

Since this amendment this Board has held in several cases that a notice of appeal which does not contain or have attached thereto a copy of the final determination of tb» tax commissioner it not a substantial compliance with the plain requirements of the statute. In the case of Atsaroff et v Evatt, 24 OO 257, the Board held:

“An appeal will be dismissed where the writing which was filed with the Board of Tax Appeals as an appeal from a sales tax assessment refers to the tax assessment made by the tax commissioner and to the date and the amount thereof, [305]*305but does not either set forth or have attached thereto and incorporated therein by reference a copy of the notice sent by the tax commissioner to the taxpayer of the final'assessment order complained of, as provided in §5611 GC.

The Board said:

“Although in the consideration of the question as presented it is recognized that appeal statutes are remedial in their nature and are liberally construed for the purpose of giving- effect to the right of appeal thereby provided, yet effect must in every case be given to the terms of the act of the legislature providing for the appeal and prescribing the method or manner in which such appeal shall be effected. Touching this question, it is noted that in the case of Collins, Executor v Milieu, 57 Oh St 289, 292, the court after adverting to the recognized rule that statutes providing for appeals are remedial and are to be liberally construed in favor of the right thereby given, said:
“ ‘We recognize, however, that the courts can dispense with no condition prescribed by statute, as necessary to perfect an appeal, and.that the only field open to the display of liberality in this connection is, in the construction of the statutes that prescribe these conditions.’”

To the same effect is the case of West Toledo Factory-Buildings, Inc. v Evatt, 43 Abs 449, 16 Ohio Supp. 97, where this question is fully discussed. It is now well settled that this Board does not have authority to entertain an appeal where the above quoted provision of the statute is not complied with. In the case of Kinsman Square Drug Company v Evatt, 145 Oh St 52, 60 N. E. (2d) 668, 30 OO 279, the Court said:

, “In the meager notice in that instant case the assessment is not described and there is no statement that the appeal is on questions of law and fact. The appellant’s notice falls far short of a substantial compliance with the plain, increased requirements of the amended statute.”

[306]*306To the same effect see the Dayton Rental Company v Evatt, 145 Oh St 215, 61 N. E. (2d) 210, 30 OO 447. In the latter case the notice of appeal did describe the assessment and was very similar to the notice filed in this case, and the Court held that that notice fell far short of a substantial compliance. with ' the plain increased requirements of the amended statute.

The question remains as to whether this Board has the authority to permit an appellant who has failed to comply with the requirements of §5611 GC, to amend his notice of appeal by setting forth therein a true copy of the final determination of the tax commisioner after the time has passed for perfecting his appeal. There is no doubt that the Board could permit such an amendment prior to the thirty day limitation provided by §5611 GC, and could permit amendments after the lapse of such limitation which are not jurisdictional. However, section 5611 provides how and in what time an‘-appeal to the Board of Tax Appeals can be taken and the Board is bound by the requirements of this statute, which plainly requires that -a notice of appeal shall be filed within thirty days after notice of the final order of the tax commissioner has been given, and that that notice of appeal must set forth or have attached thereto and incorporated therein by reference a copy of the notice of such final order.

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Related

West Toledo Factory Buildings, Inc. v. Evatt
43 Ohio Law. Abs. 449 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1944)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
46 Ohio Law. Abs. 302, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/restaurant-v-glander-bta-1946.