United States v. Cooksey

811 F. Supp. 233, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5940, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14693, 1992 WL 421335
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedSeptember 22, 1992
DocketCiv. No. 3:89-CV-1735-H
StatusPublished

This text of 811 F. Supp. 233 (United States v. Cooksey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Cooksey, 811 F. Supp. 233, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5940, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14693, 1992 WL 421335 (N.D. Tex. 1992).

Opinion

[234]*234MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

SANDERS, Chief Judge.

On September 21, 1992, the Court held a non-jury trial in this case. The government seeks judgment against Cooksey for two 100% penalty assessments made against him, one for $103,773.85, dated July 11, 1983, and another for $16,590.00, dated May 21, 1984.

I. Stipulations

In the First Revised Joint Pretrial Order, filed September 17, 1992, the parties stipulated to the following facts:

1) Plaintiff is the United States of America.

2) Defendant is a citizen of the United States and resides in Dallas County, Texas.

3) All parties are properly before this Court.

4) Nurse Call Incorporated (“Nurse Call”) was chartered as a Texas Corporation on May 8, 1981. Its employer identification number is 75-1758173.

5) Nurse Call failed to pay the United States Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, certain employee withholding and social security taxes (Form 941) for the following periods:

2nd calendar quarter ending June 30, 1981
3rd calendar quarter ending September 30, 1981
4th calendar quarter ending December 31, 1981
1st calendar quarter ending March 31, 1982
2nd calendar quarter ending June 30, 1982
4th calendar quarter ending December 31, 1982.1

6) The District Director of the Internal Revenue Service assessed against Defendant a 100% penalty under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 in the amount of $109,012.55 for the following periods, and amounts respecting Nurse Call:

a) 2nd calendar quarter ending June 30, 1981
$11,221.14
b) 3rd calendar quarter ending September 30, 1981
$17,905.22
c) 4th calendar quarter ending December 31, 1981
$20,165.89
d) 1st calendar quarter ending March 31, 1982
$28,266.59
e) 2nd calendar quarter ending June 30, 1982
$31,453.71

See Government’s Exhibit 1.

7) On May 21, 1984, the District Director of the Internal Revenue Service assessed against Defendant a 100% penalty under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 in the amount of $16,590.00 respecting Nurse Call. See Government’s Exhibit 22.

8) On March 8, 1982, Defendant signed an Internal Revenue Service Form 2751 (Proposed Assessment of 100 Percent Penalty) relating to Nurse Call for the two calendar quarters ending June 30, 1981 and December 31, 1981. See Government’s Exhibit 12.

9) On June 28, 1982, Defendant signed an Internal Revenue Service Form 2751 (Proposed Assessment of 100 Percent Penalty) relating to Nurse Call for the four calendar quarters ending June 30, 1981, September 30, 1981, December 31, 1981, and March 31, 1982. See Government’s Exhibit 13.

10) Defendant was an officer and director of Nurse Call and had the duty to collect, account for, and pay over withholding taxes of Nurse Call. Defendant willfully failed to pay over the required withholding taxes of Nurse Call and could have been held liable for the 100% penalty applicable to such taxes provided by Internal Revenue Code § 6672 at the time the alleged assessments were made.

[235]*23511) In addition to these stipulated facts, the government has withdrawn its request for judgment for some of the amounts it originally claimed in its complaint:

a) On October 17, 1988, the District Director of the Internal Revenue Service assessed against Defendant an audit assessment relating to Defendant’s federal income tax liability (Form 1040) for the calendar year ending December 31, 1986, in the amount of $2,532.44. The United States sued Defendant to recover such amount at the time it filed its complaint in this case on July 10, 1989. The audit assessment, plus applicable interest and penalty was paid on August 8, 1989. The government has thus withdrawn its request for judgment respecting this assessment since it has been paid.

b) On May 21, 1984 the District Director of the Internal Revenue Service assessed a 100% penalty against Defendant under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 in the total amount $7,170.95 respecting Slots Video, Inc. This includes assessments for the third calendar quarter ending September 30, 1982, in the amount of $1,814.05, and for the fourth calendar quarter ending December 31, 1982, in the amount of $5,356.90. This 100% penalty assessment was paid. The government, therefore, has withdrawn its is request for judgment on this assessment.

c) The government overassessed Defendant for the July 11, 1983 100% penalty relating to Nurse Call by $5,605.48. The assessment should have been for $103,-407.07, instead of $109,012.55. The overassessment resulted from the government’s failure to properly calculate interest between partial payments made by Nurse Call on the underlying employment tax liability prior to the assessment of the 100% penalty against Defendant. Plaintiff, hence, seeks judgment against defendant for the July 11, 1983 100% assessment in the amount of $103,407.07 plus interest and statutory additions allowed by law, rather than in the original amount of $109,012.55.

II. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

The Court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

1) This court has jurisdiction over this suit pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 7402(a) and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1340 and 1345.

2) Venue is proper in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1396.

3) The 100% penalty assessment for $109,012.55 against Defendant for Nurse Call’s tax liability was made on July 11, 1983. See Government’s Exhibit 1. The face of the document plainly shows the date to be July 11, 1983. Federal law states that an assessment is presumptively correct, and the burden of proof is on the person challenging the assessment to show by a preponderance of the evidence that it is erroneous. Gray v. United States, 738 F.Supp. 453, 456 (N.D.Ala.1990); Brooks v. United States, 280 F.2d 370 (5th Cir.1960). At trial, Defendant attempted to challenge the date of the assessment by claiming that the number 170 contained in the exhibit’s “Identifying Number” actually refers to a Julian Calendar day.

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Related

United States v. Summerlin
310 U.S. 414 (Supreme Court, 1940)
Roy R. Brooks and Betty B. Brooks v. United States
280 F.2d 370 (Fifth Circuit, 1960)
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474 F.2d 565 (Fifth Circuit, 1973)
Gray v. United States
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811 F. Supp. 233, 70 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5940, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14693, 1992 WL 421335, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-cooksey-txnd-1992.