Shotwell v. Department of Treasury

853 N.W.2d 414, 305 Mich. App. 360
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 27, 2014
DocketDocket No. 314860
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 853 N.W.2d 414 (Shotwell v. Department of Treasury) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shotwell v. Department of Treasury, 853 N.W.2d 414, 305 Mich. App. 360 (Mich. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

In this litigation involving petitioner’s personal liability for unpaid corporate tax obligations, respondent appeals as of right the order of the Michigan Tax Tribunal granting petitioner’s motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10). Because petitioner cannot be held personally liable for the corporation’s taxes pursuant to § 27a(5) of Michigan’s revenue collection act, MCL 205.27a(5), and the tax tribunal properly granted her motion for summary disposition, we affirm.

People’s True Taste (PTT) is a Kentucky corporation engaged in the manufacture and sale of tobacco products in several states, including Michigan. As a manufacturer engaged in the sale of tobacco in Michigan, PTT is subject to Michigan’s Tobacco Products Tax Act (TPTA), MCL 205.421 et seq. Specifically, under the TPTA, certain tobacco manufacturers must prepay an “equity assessment” no later than March 1 for projected tobacco sales during the current calendar year. MCL 205.426d(5). While prepayment occurs no later than March 1 of each year, the equity assessment is then “collected and reconciled by April 15” of the following year. MCL 205.426d(4). At that time, the manufacturer is credited with any prepayment made the previous year. Id.

[363]*363Until his death, petitioner’s husband, William Shot-well, was the sole shareholder and director of PTT. William died intestate on March 17, 2007, survived by petitioner and his daughter, Suzanne Shotwell. On March 28, 2007, a Kentucky district court appointed petitioner and Suzanne coadministrators of William’s estate. Shortly thereafter, on April 9, 2007, the court entered an order empowering petitioner and Suzanne to act independently on behalf of the estate and “to conduct any business that [William] could have conducted concerning” PTT. At that time, petitioner was not, however, an officer or director of PTT.

Nevertheless, empowered by the district court to act in William’s stead, petitioner undertook activities on PTT’s behalf. Related on PTT’s tax obligations under the TPTA, on April 13, 2007, petitioner signed a Michigan Department of Treasury tobacco products tax filing for PTT listing herself as “co-owner” and checking a box indicating that her role was to “prepare tax returns.” She also submitted a tobacco products license application, listing herself as “co-owner” of PTT and checking a box to confirm that all assessments, including taxes, had been paid in full.

On May 1, 2007, respondent informed PTT by letter that it had determined that a deficiency existed for the 2006 equity prepayment in the amount of $694,732.82 and it instructed PTT to pay the deficiency by May 31, 2007. In June of 2007, PTT made a partial payment of $50,000 to respondent. PTT did not appeal the 2006 assessment, and it became final on August 9, 2007. On October 23, 2007, petitioner executed a limited power of attorney, authorizing an attorney to address PTT’s tax issues with respondent on PTT’s behalf. On this instrument, petitioner indicated that her title was “president.”

[364]*364By the end of 2007, petitioner had become an official PTT employee and was receiving a salary. She still had not, however, been named as an officer or director of the corporation. Nevertheless, petitioner continued to conduct business on PTT’s behalf. For example, in 2008, petitioner signed several tax filings on PTT’s behalf, including a federal income tax return and a Kentucky Schedule Q on which petitioner signed as “principal officer or chief accounting officer.”

William’s estate closed on March 26, 2008, at which time petitioner’s duties as coadministrator ended. At that time, petitioner and Suzanne each received one-half of the total shares in PTT. On April 11, 2008, PTT filed its annual report with the Kentucky Secretary of State. Although there had still been no formal appointment, the document listed petitioner as president and director of the corporation.

On March 14, 2008, respondent notified PTT that an additional assessment of $55,965.47 was due by April 15, 2008. The amount represented the reconciliation payment for PTT’s 2007 tobacco sales in Michigan. PTT did not appeal this assessment and it became final on May 27, 2008.

Eventually, on October 29, 2010, petitioner and Suzanne became directors of PTT by action of the shareholders. At the same time, petitioner also became president and treasurer of PTT. Upon their appointment to these positions, petitioner and Suzanne ratified and approved their previous activities undertaken on behalf of PTT. In particular, the resolution for their appointment as directors provided that: “all acts of Deena Shotwell and/or Suzanne Shotwwell [sic] taken in their capacity as directors of the Corporation’s [sic] since the death of [William] Shotwell. . . are ratified.” Similarly, the resolution appointing officers provided [365]*365that “all acts of Deena Shotwell and/or Suzanne Shotwwell [sic] heretofore taken in their capacity as officers of the Corporation . . . are ratified and approved.” In an e-mail sent by PTT’s attorney on October 29, 2010, respondent learned of petitioner’s appointment as director, president, and treasurer.

Relying on § 27a(5), on February 21, 2012, respondent assessed deficiencies against petitioner for PTT’s unpaid tax assessments, asserting that petitioner was an officer liable for the corporation’s tax obligations. Petitioner sought cancelation of those assessments in the Michigan Tax Tribunal, ultimately moving for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10) on the basis of the assertion that petitioner was not a corporate officer at the relevant time. The tribunal granted petitioner’s motion for summary disposition, reasoning that petitioner was not an officer of PTT during the relevant period in which the taxes were due. Thus, the Tax Tribunal reasoned, she was not a responsible corporate officer for the assessment at issue. Respondent now appeals in this Court.

On appeal, respondent challenges the Tax Tribunal’s grant of summary disposition pursuant to MCR 2.116(0(10). A trial court’s decision to grant or deny a motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(0(10) is a question of law reviewed de novo. Bingham Twp v RLTD R Corp, 463 Mich 634, 641; 624 NW2d 725 (2001). A motion under MCR 2.116(0(10) tests the factual underpinnings of a claim, and is properly granted as a matter of law where, viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party, there remains no genuine issue regarding any material fact. Coblentz v Novi, 475 Mich 558, 567-568; 719 NW2d 73 (2006). “A genuine issue of material fact exists when the record, giving the benefit of reasonable [366]*366doubt to the opposing party, leaves open an issue upon which reasonable minds might differ.” West v Gen Motors Corp, 469 Mich 177, 183; 665 NW2d 468 (2003).

Also raised on appeal are issues that require interpretation of § 27a(5) to determine whether petitioner may be held personally liable. The interpretation and application of a statutory provision presents a question of law that we review de novo. Veenstra v Washtenaw Country Club, 466 Mich 155,159; 645 NW2d 643 (2002).

The primary goal of statutory interpretation is to give effect to the intent of the Legislature. In re MCI Telecom Complaint, 460 Mich 396, 411; 596 NW2d 164 (1999). The intent of the Legislature is discerned from the plain language of the statute, affording words their common, ordinary meaning. Veenstra, 466 Mich at 160.

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Bluebook (online)
853 N.W.2d 414, 305 Mich. App. 360, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shotwell-v-department-of-treasury-michctapp-2014.