United States v. Feffer

598 F. Supp. 973, 55 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1459, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21429
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedDecember 7, 1984
DocketNo. 83-MISC-77
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 598 F. Supp. 973 (United States v. Feffer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Feffer, 598 F. Supp. 973, 55 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1459, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21429 (E.D. Wis. 1984).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

WARREN, District Judge.

Presently before the Court is the petition of the United States of America and Thomas R. Collins, Special Agent of the Internal Revenue Service, to enforce an IRS summons for the testimony of and production of certain records by respondents Elton K. Feffer and Continental Plastics Corporation. The Court, having carefully considered this matter, concludes, for the reasons set forth herein, that the respondents have failed to carry their burden of proof under United States v. Kis, 658 F.2d 526 (1981), and that the summons must therefore be enforced.

BACKGROUND

This action was commenced on July 25, 1983, when the United States and Thomas R. Collins, Special Agent of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), filed a petition, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. §§ 7402(b) & 7604(a), for enforcement of a summons served on the respondents on November 17, 1982. By that summons, the IRS seeks certain records of respondent Continental Plastic Corporation1 for calendar years 1977,1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981, including, among other things, disbursement and cash receipt journals, sales loss statements, bank records, and corporate minute books. See IRS Summons [Attachment] (November 17, 1982) (Exhibit 1 of Enforcement Petition).

The Government petitioners state that the testimony and materials they seek are believed to contain information needed by the IRS “to investigate the Federal tax liability of Elton K. Feffer for the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 ... [and to] correctly establish financial starting and ending periods in an indirect method of computation for the years under investigation.” Declaration of Raymond H. Robertson at 3 (December 13, 1982) (Exhibit 2 of Enforcement Petition).

In its petition, the Government also states that on the return date of the summons, respondent Feffer failed to appear, neither testifying nor producing the requested documents; indeed, “[his] refusal to comply with the summons continues to date.” Government’s Petition To Enforce Internal Revenue Summons at 3 (July 25, 1983). The Government further states that the materials and testimony it seeks are not in its possession or control, that no recommendation for the criminal prosecution of the respondents has been made to the Department of Justice, and that the IRS has followed all procedural requirements of the law in pursuing its request for the subject testimony and materials.

On July 26, 1983, the Court ordered the respondents to submit, within 30 days of service, a written response to the Government’s petition, “supported by appropriate affidavits) alleging specific facts in rebuttal to the petitioners’ pleadings or in support of an appropriate affirmative de[976]*976fense.” Court’s Order To Show Cause at 1 (July 26, 1983) (emphasis in original). Pursuant to the procedures set forth in United States v. Kis, 658 F.2d 526 (7th Cir.1981) (see infra at 7-11), the Court also notified the respondents of their right to pursue discovery in this matter and of their entitlement to an evidentiary hearing if the Court concluded that any allegations of appropriate facts in their response were sufficiently specific to warrant such a hearing. The Court also notified the respondents that if they submitted a response that failed to allege appropriate specific facts in rebuttal to the Government’s pleadings or in support of some affirmative defense, an order enforcing the summons would issue.2

By their Answer of September 12, 1983, the respondents deny that the subject investigation was undertaken for the purpose of ascertaining the correct tax liability of Elton K. Feffer for the year 1977 and offer some sixteen affirmative defenses — among them, that the subject IRS summons was “issued for the improper purpose of furthering the Government’s wrongful conduct ... [in violation of the] respondents’ constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment”; that enforcement of the summons would constitute an abuse of the Court’s process; and that the petitioners already have in their possession much of the information sought pursuant to the summons. Respondents’ Answer to Petition at 6-7 (September 12, 1983).

Most significantly, however,, it is in the respondents’ Answer and supporting affidavit of counsel that the issue central to this dispute was first articulated — namely, whether an employee’s provision to IRS agents of certain of the respondent-employer’s corporate records and documents was undertaken and continued “at the direction and with the knowledge, participation and approval of the agents ... [and thus] constituted an unlawful search and seizure by the Government in ... disregard of Respondents’ rights____”

Respondents’ Answer to Petition at 5-6 (September 12, 1983). It is the respondents’ position, set forth in their Answer and maintained throughout the subsequent hearing on the Government’s request for enforcement, that one Diane M. Langron, while an employee of respondent Continental Plastic Corporation,

secretly and illegally took various records and documents, or copies thereof, from the offices of the corporate Respondent under the guidance and direction, and with the knowledge, participation and approval of the agents of the Internal Revenue Service____ An allegedly complete list of the records secretly and illegally taken is included in the Declaration of [IRS] Special Agent Raymond Robertson. His Declaration under oath, however, avoids any implication or admission that the Special Agents were participating behind the scenes in directing or suggesting the illicit search and seizure of Respondents’ records. Special Agent Robertson erroneously states in his Declaration (par. 6) that after contacting the Special Agents in December, 1981, Ms. Langron “brought with her” the records in question____
The illicit taking and copying of Respondents’ records by Ms. Langron with the knowledge, participation and approval .of the Special Agents constituted an unlawful search and seizure by the Government in clear violation of Respondents’ rights under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.

Affidavit of Robert E. Meldman at 3-4 (September 12,1984). It is on this principal basis that the respondents oppose enforcement of the subject IRS summons.

The Court, having reviewed carefully both the Government’s Enforcement Petition and the Answer and supporting affida[977]*977vit filed by the respondents, concluded that while the Government had established a prima facie case for issuance of the summons, the respondents had alleged facts sufficient to support an inference of wrongful conduct by the Government. Accordingly, pursuant to the procedures set forth by the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in United States v. Kis, 658 F.2d 526 (1981) (see infra at 977-979), the Court conducted a two-day adversarial hearing on November 1 & 2, 1983.

During the course of those proceedings, the substance of which is discussed below, the Court heard testimony from three witnesses for the Government — namely, former IRS Special Agent Raymond H.

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Related

United States v. Feffer
776 F.2d 1049 (Seventh Circuit, 1985)

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Bluebook (online)
598 F. Supp. 973, 55 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1459, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21429, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-feffer-wied-1984.