Spiesman v. Commissioner

28 T.C. 567, 1957 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 164
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMay 31, 1957
DocketDocket No. 56141
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 28 T.C. 567 (Spiesman 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
Spiesman v. Commissioner, 28 T.C. 567, 1957 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 164 (tax 1957).

Opinion

Bruce, Judge:

Respondent determined deficiencies in the income tax of the petitioners and additions to tax as follows:

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Respondent, on brief, has abandoned his determination that petitioners are liable for additions to tax for the years involved under section 294 (d) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939. Petitioners, at the hearing and on brief, have conceded or abandoned all other issues raised by the pleadings except one. The only question presented is whether the five minor children of petitioners were partners in the Spiesman & Sons partnership during the years 1951 and 1952, within the meaning of sections 191 and 3797 (a) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, as amended by section 340 (a) and (b) of the Revenue Act of 1951.

FINDINGS OF FACT.

Some of the facts were stipulated and are included herein by this reference.

Petitioners are husband and wife residing at St. Maries, Idaho. They filed a joint Federal income tax return for the calendar year 1951 with the then collector of internal revenue for the district of Idaho, and for the calendar year 1952 with the district director of internal revenue, Boise, Idaho.

Prior to 1950, petitioner Mathew J. Spiesman, Jr. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Spiesman), was the owner of certain gambling devices commonly known as slot machines. These machines were operated in a bar known as the Gem State Club under an agreement between Spiesman and the club, whereby Spiesman received 20 per cent of the receipts from the slot machines. Spiesman was president and manager of the Gem State Club, a corporation. In 1947 the legislature of the State of Idaho enacted a statute (Session Laws 1947, ch. 151; secs. 50-1501 to 1510, inclusive, Idaho Code), subsequently declared unconstitutional1 and repealed,2 providing that it should be lawful for any person to own and operate coin-operated amusement devices within the corporate limits of any incorporated city or village, after having first procured a license as therein provided. The term “person” was defined to include “an individual person, partnership, corporation or association.”

On February 1,1950, Spiesman, Jr., and his father, Mathew J. Spies-man, Sr., entered into a partnership agreement for the purpose of carrying on the business of operating and maintaining coin-operated amusement devices. The agreement recited that “the assets to be taken over by the partnership are in the possession and owned by the partner, M. J. Spiesman, Jr.” It further recited that “M. J. Spiesman, Sr., agrees to pay a sum equal to one-half the value of the assets”; that they should bear “equally between them all licenses, fees, permits and other expenses” required for the support and management of the business; and that profits from the business should be divided, one-third to Spiesman, Sr., and two-thirds to Spiesman, Jr.

Spiesman, Sr., now 80 years of age, had for several years been distributing part of his estate by making gifts of real estate, stocks, and mortgages to Spiesman, Jr., and to the latter’s five sons, whose names and dates of birth are as follows:

Name Date of Birth
Michael Joseph_Oct. 21, 1940
Philip James_Nov. 29, 1943
Leonard John_Feb. 11, 1945
Mathew James III_July 3, 1946
Francis Edward_Sept. 26, 1950

On December 1, 1951, a new partnership agreement was entered into between Spiesman, Sr., and Spiesman, Jr., individually and on behalf of his five minor sons, which (omitting the jurat) is as follows:

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.
This Agreement of Partnership, made in duplicate as of the first day of December, 1951, by and between Mathew James Spiesman, Sr., Mathew James Spiesman, Jr., Michael James [Joseph] Spiesman, Mathew James Spiesman, III, Philip James Spiesman, Leonard John Spiesman, and Francis Edward Spiesman, all of St. Maries, Benewah County, Idaho,
WitNesseth, that the said parties have agreed and by these presents do agree to associate themselves as partners for the purpose of carrying on the business of operation and maintenance of coin-operated amusement devices, and incidental concessions connected therewith, to the faithful performance of which they mutually bind and engage themselves, each to the other, their executors and administrators.
Fikst : The name, style and title of such partnership shall be SPIESMAN & SONS.
Second : At the time of this agreement, the assets to be talien over by the partnership are in possession and owned by the partner[s], Mathew James Spiesman, Jr., [and Matthew J. Spiesman, Sr.] and are in the value of $2374.63. The capital of said partnership in addition to the aforementioned assets shall consist of cash contributions divided into nine equal shares, of which each of the partners shall own one-ninth, with the exception of the partner, Mathew James Spiesman, Jr., who shall own one-third of the shares. Further cash contributions shall consist of:
/s/ M J Spiesman Jr.
/s/ M J Spiesman Sr.
Michael James [sie] Spiesman_$100. 00
Mathew James Spiesman, III_ 100. 00
Philip James Spiesman_ 100.00
Leonard John Spiesman_ 100.00
Francis Edward Spiesman_ 100. 00
The capital of the partnership in addition to the initial cash contributions enumerated above shall also consist of the income and profits arising from the employment thereof, with the exception of that which each is entitled to withdraw as hereinafter provided. That said capital may at any time be reduced or extended by agreement between the parties hereto, and that the said capital, together with all credits, goods, wares or commodities bought or obtained by the said firm, by barter or otherwise, shall be kept, used and employed in and about the business aforesaid.
Thied : The term for which this partnership is organized is for an indefinite period from and after December 1,1951.
Fotjbth : Duties of Partners. The partner, Mathew James Spiesman, Jr., shall be actively in charge of the business and shall assume the functions customarily performed and shall perform the duties as manager. He shall devote a major portion of his time, attention, experience and endeavors to said business. The partners, Mathew James Spiesman, Sr., Michael James [sic] Spiesman, Mathew James Spiesman, III, Philip James Spiesman, Leonard John Spiesman and Francis Edward Spiesman, shall and will at all times during the continuance of the partnership bear, pay and discharge equally with all partners all the licenses, fees, permits and other expenses that may be required for the support and maintenance of said business.

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Spiesman v. Commissioner
28 T.C. 567 (U.S. Tax Court, 1957)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
28 T.C. 567, 1957 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 164, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/spiesman-v-commissioner-tax-1957.