Title Insurance v. United States

475 F. Supp. 862, 44 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5389, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10949
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedJuly 17, 1979
DocketNo. CV 77-3447-AAH
StatusPublished

This text of 475 F. Supp. 862 (Title Insurance v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Title Insurance v. United States, 475 F. Supp. 862, 44 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5389, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10949 (C.D. Cal. 1979).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

HAUK, District Judge.

NATURE OF THE ACTION

Plaintiff, Title Insurance Company of Minnesota, filed suit asking this Court to (1) quiet title in its favor to a certain irrevocable letter of credit in the amount of $247,-379.46, presently in the possession of the District Director of Internal Revenue, Los Angeles; (2) direct the Defendant to return the letter of credit to the Plaintiff; (3) declare Plaintiff’s rights and obligations under an Agreement entered into with the District Director, dated December 28, 1976, or in the alternative (4) enter a money judgment against the Defendant in the amount of $247,379.46 plus interest thereon as provided by law.

Defendant filed an answer requesting that Plaintiff take nothing by its complaint, Plaintiff’s action to be dismissed with prejudice. The Defendant also requested that this Court decree that it is entitled to the sum of $247,379.46 to be applied against the 1975 income tax liability of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela.

Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment requesting this Court to dismiss Plaintiff’s action for lack of jurisdiction. In the alternative, were this Court to find that jurisdiction does exist, Defendant has [863]*863requested that summary judgment be entered in its favor on the merits decreeing that the Plaintiff take nothing and that the Defendant is entitled to the sum of $247,-379.46 to be applied against the 1975 income tax liability of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela.

The matter came on regularly for hearing before this Court. Having considered all of the pleadings, memoranda, exhibits, depositions, written interrogatories, arguments of counsel, and being fully advised, this Court now makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

I

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On January 9, 1976 a delegate of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States made an income tax assessment against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela applicable to his 1975 taxable year in the amount of $305,498.18.

2. With respect to the January 9, 1976 assessment, there is presently due and owing to the United States from Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela the sum of $315,991.58 plus accrued penalties and interest as provided by law.

. 3. Notice and demand for payment were sent to Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela on January 9, 1976, at his last known address, 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California.

4. On January 12,1976 a notice of federal tax lien applicable to the January 9,1976 assessment was filed and recorded in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office in the name of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela, 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California.

5. Also on January 12, 1976, a notice of federal tax lien applicable to the same assessment was filed and recorded in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office in the name of Manula Verdugo Valenzuela, as nominee, agent or trustee of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela, her address being described therein as 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California.

6. On August 18, 1977 Defendant filed suit against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela in this District Court to reduce the January 9, 1976 assessment to judgment, Docket Number CV — 77-3124—AAH. On March 8, 1978, judgment was entered against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela in the amount of $315,-991.58 plus statutory penalties and interest accruing thereon as provided by law pursuant to Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela agreeing to the entry of this judgment against him, as set forth in the written stipulation filed with the Court on March 6, 1978.

7. On November 10, 1975 there was recorded in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office a grant deed, whereby Manula Verdugo Valenzuela, the alleged mother of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela, acquired title to the real property located at 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California.

8. Though title to the subject real property was in the name of Manula Verdugo Valenzuela, she acquired and held title to this property as the nominee, agent or trustee for her son, Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela.

9. On January 9, 1976, Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela was the true owner of the real property located at 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California, to which federal tax liens prescribed in Section 6321 of Title 26, United States Code, attached.

10. During the years 1973 through 1977, Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela and other members of his family were engaged in the unlawful importation, distribution and sale of large quantities of heroin, which were distributed throughout the United States. Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela and his brother, Fernando Valenzuela, controlled and directed the activities of this organization.

11. A characteristic of this organization was to use members of the Valenzuela family, related by blood or marriage, to perform various activities, including the importation, storage, delivery and distribution of heroin. Since 1973, federal and state law enforcement agents have seized more than 140 pounds of heroin from members of the Valenzuela organization.

[864]*86412. In 1977 a nine count indictment was returned by the Grand Jury against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela and other members of the Valenzuela organization, charging them with various violations of the United States Codes regarding the unlawful possession and distribution of narcotics, as well as aiding, abetting, counselling, commanding, inducing and procuring the commission of these offenses.

13. On December 19, 1977, a Judgment of Conviction was entered against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela on all nine counts. Among other things, the Jury found that Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela acted in concert with at least five other persons as an organizer, supervisor and in other managerial positions, participating in a continuous series of violations from which Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela obtained substantial income and resources.

14. During the course of these illegal activities, i. e., on or about September 18, 1975, the property located at 1050 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California was purchased by Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela for the sum of $335,000.00.

15. On February 18, 1976, a deed was recorded in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office dated January 22, 1976, wherein it was declared that Manula Verdugo Valenzuela granted the property in question to Pedro and Isabel Urrutia, the brother-in-law and sister of Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela’s wife, Alleen Valenzuela.

16. On March 19, 1976, a deed was recorded in the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office dated March 9, 1976, wherein it was declared that Pedro and Isabel Urrutia granted the property in question to Gordon Mills Johnsen and Donna Latham Johnsen, et al.

17. On or about March 19, 1976, Plaintiff issued a policy of title insurance with respect to the subject real property to the Johnsens, et al. Plaintiff, however, failed to set forth that the subject real property was encumbered by the federal tax liens arising by virtue of the January 9, 1976 assessment imposed against Jose Guadalupe Valenzuela.

18. Thereafter, the Johnsens, et al., desired to sell the property in question to third parties, but could not give clear title due to the existence of the federal tax liens which encumbered the property.

19.

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Related

§ 6321
26 U.S.C. § 6321

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Bluebook (online)
475 F. Supp. 862, 44 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5389, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10949, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/title-insurance-v-united-states-cacd-1979.