Taylor v. United States (In re Taylor)

140 B.R. 294, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 707, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1611
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma
DecidedMay 5, 1992
DocketBankruptcy No. 86-03503-W; Adv. No. 90-0278-C
StatusPublished

This text of 140 B.R. 294 (Taylor v. United States (In re Taylor)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor v. United States (In re Taylor), 140 B.R. 294, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 707, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1611 (Okla. 1992).

Opinion

[295]*295MEMORANDUM OPINION

STEPHEN J. COVEY, Chief Judge.

This matter comes on to be heard upon the adversary proceeding filed by Donald P. Taylor, (“Debtor”), asking for the following relief.

1. Determination of tax liability owing to the United States of America, Internal Revenue Service (“Defendant”) pursuant to Section 505 of the Bankruptcy Code.

2. Determination of dischargeability of taxes found due and owing pursuant to § 523 of the Bankruptcy Code.

3. Voiding of tax liens filed by Defendant against Debtor for taxes found not due and owing pursuant to § 105 of the Bankruptcy Code.

4. Refund of any amounts paid by Debt- or to Defendant for taxes found not due and owing pursuant to § 105 of the Bankruptcy Code.

In response to this Complaint, the Defendant filed an Answer denying this Court had jurisdiction to grant the requested relief and generally denying the allegations of the Complaint.

This Court conducted an evidentiary hearing and having now considered the testimony of the witnesses, the documentary evidence and arguments of counsel finds as follows.

Jurisdictional Issue
11 U.S.C. § 505 states in part as follows (a)(1) ... the court may determine the amount or legality of any tax, ...
11 U.S.C. § 105 states as follows:
(a) The Court may issue any order, process, or judgment that is necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this title....

28 U.S.C. § 1334 states in part as follows:

(b) Notwithstanding any Act of Congress that confers exclusive jurisdiction on a court or courts other than the district courts, the district courts shall have original but not exclusive jurisdiction of all civil proceedings arising under title 11, or arising in or related to cases under title 11.

18 U.S.C. § 157 provides in part as follows:

(a) Each district court may provide that any or all cases under title 11 and any or all proceedings arising under title 11 or arising in or related to a case under title 11 shall be referred to the bankruptcy judges for the district.
(b)(1) Bankruptcy judges may hear and determine all cases under title 11 and all core proceedings arising under title 11, or arising in a case under title 11, referred under subsection (a) .of this section, any may enter appropriate orders and judgments, subject to review under section 158 of this title.
(2) Core proceedings include, but are not limited to—
(B) allowance or disallowance of claims
(I) determinations as to the dis-chargeability of particular debts;
(O) other proceedings affecting the liquidation of the assets of the estate or the adjustment of the debtor-creditor or the equity security holder relationship, except personal injury tort or wrongful death claims.

Pursuant to these statutes, this Court rules it has jurisdiction to hear and determine the issues raised by the parties and that this is a core proceeding.

Statement of Facts

Delta Cattle Corporation (“Delta Cattle”) was an Oklahoma corporation formed in 1981. The Debtor, along with his brother, Oscar E. Taylor, were incorporators. The business of Delta Cattle was to breed, raise, and market cattle on behalf of numerous investors located throughout the country. Delta Cattle’s business office was in Tulsa, Oklahoma but the ranches were located in Eastern Oklahoma some fifty to one hundred miles away.

Delta Cattle filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief on March 15, 1984. At the time of filing bankruptcy, Delta Cattle was indebted to the Defendant for failure to pay social security, unemployment and em[296]*296ployee income taxes (withheld taxes) in the amount of $117,162.26. These tax liabilities were incurred by Delta Cattle during the quarters ending December 31, 1981, December 31, 1982, June 30, 1983 and March 31, 1984.

The Defendant assessed these taxes against the Debtor on March 18, 1985, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 6672(a) contending that the Debtor was a responsible party of Delta Cattle who had failed to collect, truthfully account for or pay over the withheld taxes.

On March 31, 1986, the Defendant filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien with the Tulsa County Clerk and refiled said notice on August 13, 1987. The Debtor filed his Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on December 16, 1986. On September 24, 1990, the Debtor filed the present adversary complaint.

During the periods in question, the Debt- or was an officer of Delta Cattle (vice president) and served on the Board of Directors (no Board meetings were ever held). He owned no stock in the company but was an authorized signatory on five checking accounts, had authority to borrow funds on behalf of Delta Cattle (which authority was never used), and participated in the hiring and firing of employees. He received a salary of approximately $63,500.00 per year.

The Debtor’s principal responsibility was to work on the ranches supervising the breeding, raising and marketing of the cattle. He was Delta Cattle’s “cowboy.” The Debtor spent very little time in the Tulsa office and signed checks or engaged in financial administration only on the direction of Oscar E. Taylor. It was not his duty within the corporate structure to prepare the payroll, to see that the taxes were properly withheld, to file quarterly returns, or make quarterly deposits.

Oscar E. Taylor was the “boss” of Delta Cattle. He made all business decisions and he hired the Debtor and determined his salary. He was president and sole stockholder of the company and was described by all the witnesses as the “boss.” He determined what checks were to be written and what bills were to be paid. Delta Cattle was in constant financial difficulty and it was Oscar E. Taylor who dealt with the creditors. He also spent most of his time out of the Tulsa office raising funds from new investors. He did, however, control the management of the business by telephone and would call the office ten to twenty times a day.

Arguments and Analysis

26 U.S.C. §§ 3102(a) and 3402(a) require an employer such as Delta Cattle to deduct and withhold social security, unemployment and income taxes from wages paid its employees. 26 U.S.C. § 7501 requires the amount deducted and withheld to be placed in a special trust fund for the United States, which is not to be used for any other purpose but to pay these taxes. 26 U.S.C.

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Related

Robert G. Dudley v. United States
428 F.2d 1196 (Ninth Circuit, 1970)
In Re Brady
110 B.R. 16 (D. Nevada, 1990)
Bauer v. United States
543 F.2d 142 (Court of Claims, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
140 B.R. 294, 1992 Bankr. LEXIS 707, 71 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1611, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-v-united-states-in-re-taylor-oknb-1992.