Sortillon v. Commissioner

1979 T.C. Memo. 281, 38 T.C.M. 1097, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 241
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedJuly 26, 1979
DocketDocket No. 2108-79.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1979 T.C. Memo. 281 (Sortillon v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sortillon v. Commissioner, 1979 T.C. Memo. 281, 38 T.C.M. 1097, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 241 (tax 1979).

Opinion

MARCO J. SORTILLON, Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Sortillon v. Commissioner
Docket No. 2108-79.
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1979-281; 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 241; 38 T.C.M. (CCH) 1097; T.C.M. (RIA) 79281;
July 26, 1979, Filed
Marco J. Sortillon, pro se.
Edgar G. Rios, for the respondent.

DAWSON

MEMORANDUM OPINION

DAWSON, Judge: This matter is before the Court on the petitioner's motion for summary judgment. Respondent filed an objection to the motion and a memorandum of points and authorities. Petitioner also filed points and authorities in support of his motion. A hearing on the motion was*242 held on June 11, 1979, at Los Angeles, California.

The pertinent facts may be summarrized as follows: Respondent determined a deficiency of $6,963.34 in petitioner's Federal income tax for the year 1976. The explanation of adjustments, which is a part of the deficiency notice, reads in part:

It is determined that you have gross income in the form of wages of $24,196.69 as reported on form W-2 from your employer, Flour Engineers and Constructors. Therefore, your gross income is increased $24,196.69.

You are allowed the maximum standard deduction of $1,400.00 for an individual married filing separately in determining taxable income, and your tax is computed by use of tax rates.

You have been allowed a personal exemption for yourself. Therefore, your taxable income is decreased $750.00.

You are not allowed exemptions for your spouse or for your six children, Marc, Mitchell, Marty, Marie, Michele, and Matthew. You have not established that these individuals meet the requirements of the Internal Revenue laws regarding exemptions for dependents. You have not established that your spouse did not have taxable income or that she did not file a tx return of her own and claim*243 the same children as exemptions.

On February 22, 1979, the petitioner filed a petition with this Court seeking a redetermination of the entire deficiency assigning six errors to respondent's determination. On April 6, 1979, respondent filed his answer denying the assignments of error and the facts alleged by the petitioner.

It appears from statements made in petitioner's motion and supporting materials that he is conceding he received compensation from Fluor Engineers and Contractors during 1976, but that he is disputing the full taxable nature of such compensation on various constitutional grounds.

On his individual Federal income tax return, which is incomplete and inadequate in many respects, the petitioner claimed dependency exemptions for his spouse and six children. The facts are in dispute regarding the employment status and income producing activity of his spouse, and the age, student status and income producing activities of his children. These facts are material for determining whether petitioner is entitled to the claimed dependency exemptions under section 151 and 152, Internal Revenue Code. 1

*244 Since there are obviously genuine issues of material facts present in this case, it is clear that the petitioner is not entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. See Rule 121(b), Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure; McLain v. Commissioner,67 T.C. 775, 778-779 (1977); Blood v. Fleming,161 F.2d 292, 295 (10th Cir. 1947).

Petitioner advances several procedural and constitutional arguments in connection with his motion, all of which lack merit. First, he entertains the erroneous belief that respondent, by answering his petition, is under a legal obligation to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Rule 36, Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, imposes no such requirement on the respondent. The rule merely requires that the answer be drawn in a manner that will advise the petitioner and the Court of the nature of the defense. A specific admission or denial of each material allegation in the petition is sufficient under Rule 36(b).

Second, the petitioner contends that Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States prohibits the imposition of any tax, either direct or indirect, on his compensation for*245 services rendered to Fluor Engineers and Contractors, Inc. The contention is erroneous. Article i, Section 8, Clause 1 of the Constitution provides, in pertinent part, that:

The Congress shall have Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, * * *.

The authority conferred upon Congress by Section 8 of Article I is exhaustive and embraces every conceivable power of taxation. See

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

Related

Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.
157 U.S. 429 (Supreme Court, 1895)
Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad
240 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1916)
Stanton v. Baltic Mining Co.
240 U.S. 103 (Supreme Court, 1916)
Bowers v. Kerbaugh-Empire Co.
271 U.S. 170 (Supreme Court, 1926)
United States v. John Paul Malinowski
472 F.2d 850 (Third Circuit, 1973)
Blood v. Fleming
161 F.2d 292 (Tenth Circuit, 1947)
Muste v. Commissioner
35 T.C. 913 (U.S. Tax Court, 1961)
Roberts v. Commissioner
62 T.C. No. 89 (U.S. Tax Court, 1974)
Hartman v. Commissioner
65 T.C. 542 (U.S. Tax Court, 1975)
Cupp v. Commissioner
65 T.C. 68 (U.S. Tax Court, 1975)
Gajewski v. Commissioner
67 T.C. 181 (U.S. Tax Court, 1976)
McLain v. Commissioner
67 T.C. 775 (U.S. Tax Court, 1977)
Sibla v. Commissioner
68 T.C. 422 (U.S. Tax Court, 1977)
Hatfield v. Commissioner
68 T.C. 895 (U.S. Tax Court, 1977)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1979 T.C. Memo. 281, 38 T.C.M. 1097, 1979 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 241, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sortillon-v-commissioner-tax-1979.