United States v. Bank of Nevada

155 F. Supp. 164, 52 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 535, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2905
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedMarch 14, 1957
DocketCiv. No. 135
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 155 F. Supp. 164 (United States v. Bank of Nevada) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Bank of Nevada, 155 F. Supp. 164, 52 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 535, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2905 (D. Nev. 1957).

Opinion

FOLEY, District Judge.

The case was submitted upon stipulation of facts together with attached exhibits and supplemental stipulation filed November 7, 1956. The parties are in agreement as to the questions presented for determination, viz.:

1. Whether the defendant was in possession of property of the delinquent taxpayer which was subject to the tax lien sought to be levied against said bank deposits of the taxpayer, and
2. Whether a Federal tax lien on the bank account of a delinquent taxpayer is superior to the claimed right of setoff in the Bank by virtue of the taxpayer’s note to the [165]*165Bank executed after the tax lien arose, or by virtue of an agreement between the Bank and the taxpayer contained in a financial statement executed with the Bank before the tax lien arose.

However, the Bank’s contentions are largely based upon its assumption that the taxpayer’s note was payable at any time without demand.

In United States v. Graham, D.C., 96 F.Supp. 318, 320, affirmed State of California v. United States, 9 Cir., 195 F.2d 530, Judge Harrison held:

“ [4-6] The contention that there is no property against which the plaintiff’s tax liens may be foreclosed is without support. ‘Congress intended to subject all of a taxpayer’s property, except that specifically exempt to the payment of taxes. “Property” is a word of very broad meaning and when used without qualification, may reasonably be construed to include obligations, rights and other intangibles, as well as physical things. “Property” within the tax laws should not be given a narrow or technical meaning.’ Citizens State Bank of Barstow, Texas, v. Vidal, 10 Cir., 114 F.2d 380, 382. * -X *
“[7] There yet remains the question of whether or not the state may set off against its debt to the taxpayer the taxes owed by the taxpayer to the state. It is unquestioned that under Secs. 3672 and 3710(a), Title 26 U.S.C.A., the rights of the Collector do not extend beyond those of the taxpayer whose right to property is sought to be levied upon. United States v. Winnett, 9 Cir., 1947, 165 F.2d 149. If the state had a right of set-off against the taxpayer prior to the United States’ asserted lien and priority, the Collector would be bound to recognize the right of the state to set-off.
“[8] The 1942 income tax assessment against the taxpayer, Warren C. Graham, was received by the Collector on March 23, 1945, more than a year and three months before the leases with the State of California were entered into. The tax due under this assessment is still due. Any money that accrued to the taxpayer under the lease with the state accrued with a lien impressed upon it. There was no period of time in which the state of California’s right of set-off could have been asserted against the debt to the taxpayer that the property, was not impressed with the tax lien. In United States v. Winnett, supra, the right of set-off accrued before any tax liens arose.”

The sum of $878.16 on deposit with defendant Bank in the account of the taxpayer was, at the time of the service of Notice of Levy by the District Director of Internal Revenue, property of Bentley, the taxpayer.

The financial statements, Exhibits “B” and “B-l”, executed prior to the loan evidenced by the note of April 16, 1955, each contained the following:

“The undersigned, for the purpose of procuring and establishing credit from time to time with you and to induce you to permit the undersigned to become indebted to you on notes, endorsements, guarantees, overdrafts or otherwise, furnishes the following as being a true and correct statement of the financial condition of the undersigned on the above date, and agrees to notify you immediately of the extent and character of any material change in said financial condition, and also agrees that if the undersigned, or any endorser or guarantor of any of the obligations of the undersigned, at any time fails in business or becomes insolvent, or commits an act of bankruptcy, or if any deposit account of the undersigned with you, or any other property of the undersigned held by you, be attempted to be obtained or held by writ of execution, garnishment, attachment or other legal process, or if any of the repre[166]*166sentations made below prove to be untrue, or if the undersigned fails to notify you of any material change as above agreed, then and in such case, at your option, all of the obligations of the undersigned to you, or held by you, shall immediately become due and payable, without demand or notice. This statement shall be construed by you to be a continuing statement of the condition of the undersigned, and a new and original statement of all assets and liabilities upon each and every transaction in and by which the undersigned hereafter becomes indebted to you, until the undersigned advises in writing to the contrary.”

Upon the above quoted paragraph of the financial statements and the note of April 16,1955, the Bank bases its claimed right of setoff. The note provided that:

“On Demand; if no demand is made then on August 14th, 1955, for value received I promise to pay in lawful money of the United States of America, to the order of the Bank of Nevada * * * Two Thousand and no/100 Dollars. * * * ”
“Although the maker of a demand note is not in default until he refuses payment until after demand therefor, it is generally held that a note payable on demand is due immediately, so that suit may be maintained on it at any time after delivery without any other demand than the suit. This rule may not apply, however, where there is something on the paper or in the circumstances under which it was given to show that it was not the intention that it should become due immediately.” 10 C.J.S. Bills and Notes § 247b, p. 744; Sullivan v. Ellis, 8 Cir., 219 F. 694, 696, citing 7 Cyc. 848, 849.

From the above quoted portion of the note it appears that it was not the intention of the payee or the maker of the note that the same was to be due immediately upon delivery. It was the evident intention of the parties that the note was to become due August 14, 1955, unless in the meantime a formal demand by the Bank for payment was made. Defendant Bank, in its brief, states:

“ * * * the bank had a right of set off and thereby a lien upon any funds of the taxpayer on deposit with it, which arose prior in time to the date of November 15, 1954, which was the date upon which the tax lien arose. This lien of the bank was created by virtue of the financial statement dated August 31, 1954, (Exhibit B-l), wherein the bank was given the right by the depositor to apply any and all funds against any and all indebtedness of the taxpayer-depositor without demand and without notice to the taxpayer-depositor when and as certain conditions existed or came into being which jeopardized the claim of the bank under its promissory demand note, and which materially changed the taxpayer’s-depositor’s financial condition.”

On June 10, 1955, the taxpayer had on deposit with defendant Bank in a checking account the sum of $878.16.

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Bluebook (online)
155 F. Supp. 164, 52 A.F.T.R. (P-H) 535, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2905, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-bank-of-nevada-nvd-1957.