United States v. Godley

136 F. Supp. 3d 724, 116 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6302, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 132671, 2015 WL 5732543
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedSeptember 30, 2015
DocketNo. 3:13-cv-549-RJC-DCK
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 136 F. Supp. 3d 724 (United States v. Godley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Godley, 136 F. Supp. 3d 724, 116 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6302, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 132671, 2015 WL 5732543 (W.D.N.C. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR., District Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on.the following: (1) Defendant Fred D. [727]*727Godley, Jr.’s (“Godley, Jr.”) Motion for Summary Judgment and Supporting Mem-oranda, (Doc. Nos. 15, 15-1, 23); (2) Defendants Gregory Godley, Lisa Godley Gil-strap, Kimberly Godley, Rodney Godley, Martha Godley, William C. Godley, Robert Godley, David Godley, Cathy Godley Matthews, Ivy Godley Bruce, Mark Godley, and Peter Godle/s (collectively, with God-ley, Jr., “Defendants”) Motion for Summary Judgment, Supporting Memoranda, and Exhibits, (Doc. Nos. 14, 14-1 to 14-19, 22); (3) the United States’ (the “Government”) Response in Opposition to Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment and Supporting Exhibits, (Doc. Nos. 20, 20-1 to 20-20, 21, 21-1 to 21-6); (4) the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment against Godley, Jr., Supporting Memoranda, and Exhibits, (Doc. Nos. 31, 31-1 to 31-4, 42); (5) Godley, Jr.’s Response in Opposition to the Government’s Motion'for Summary Judgment, (Doc. No. 36); (6) the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment against Cathy Godley Matthews, Gregory Godley, Kimberly Godley, Peter Godley, Mark Godley, William Godley, and Robert Godley, Supporting Memoranda, and Exhibits, (Doc. Nos. 32, 32-1 to 32-3, 43); (7) Defendants’ Response in Opposition to the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment, (Doc. No. 38); (8) the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment against Rodney Godley and Martha Godley, Supporting Memoranda, and Exhibits, (Doc. Nos.33,.33-1, 44); and (9) Defendants’ Response in Opposition to the Government’s Motion for Summary Judgment, (Doc. No. 37). The motions have been fully briefed, and the Court held a hearing on the motions on September 16, 2015. See (Doe. No. 46). The issues are ripe for adjudication.

I. BACKGROUND

This is a civil action commenced' by the Government against the administrator, former executors, and beneficiaries of the Estate of Fred O. Godley (the “Estate”) to reduce Federal estate tax assessments to judgment, to foreclose on liens against property distributed from the Estate, and to obtain judgment against Defendants, jointly and severally, for various other Federal claims. Defendants have moved for summary judgment on the grounds that the statute of limitations and that notions of due process- bar the Government’s action. (Doc Nos. 14,15). In contrast, the Government urges that the statute of limitations has not run and that, this suit provides sufficient due process for Defendants; therefore, the Government has filed cross-motions for summary judgment against Defendants. (Doc. Nos. 31-33). The record establishes, the parties agree, and/or the parties do not dispute the following.

Fred O. Godley (“Decedent”) was married to Martha Godley. He and Martha had three sons: Godley, Jr., William God-ley, and Robert Godley, all of whom are defendants in this case along with Martha Godley. The remaining defendants in this action are Decedent’s grandchildren: Gregory Godley, Lisa Godley Gilstrap, Kimberly Godley, Rodney Godley, David Godley, Cathy Godley Matthews, Ivy Godley Bruce, Mark Godley, and Peter Godley.

Decedent passed away on May 11,1990. (Doc. No. 1 ¶ 12: Complaint). On May. 16, 1990, Decedent’s Will was filed and his Estate was opened for probate administration with the North Carolina Superior Court, Mecklenburg County (the “Probate Court”). (Zd ¶ 13). The Will named three of Decedent’s grandchildren, Kimberly Godley, Lisa Godley Gilstrap, and Gregory Godley, as the Co-Executors of the Estate (the “Co-Executors”). (Id.). Under the residual clause of the Will, Robert Godley and William Godley received the majority of Decedent’s real estate, which passed [728]*728outside of probate and was valued by the Government at $563,327. (Id. ¶¶ 15-16).

After receiving extensions, the Estate filed its Form 706 estate tax return on August 14, 1991, reporting a total gross estate of $2,424,526 and a federal estate tax liability of $270,737. (Id. ¶¶22, 24). The Estate did not make any payment on the taxes owed when it filed its return; instead, it elected to defer payment of a portion of the taxes under section 6166 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Section 6166 Election” or the “Election”).1 (Id. ¶ 25). Because the Estate did not pay the taxes due when it filed its return, on September 16, 1991, the IRS assessed $270,737 of estate tax against the Estate and noted the Section 6166 Election. (Id. ¶ 26). The portion of taxes, for which deferral was elected under section 6166 was primarily associated with property inherited exclusively by Godley, Jr., which consisted, of his interests in two closely held businesses, Godley Development Company and Concrete Panel Systems. (Id. ¶¶ 28, 48; Doc. No. 3 ¶ 139: Joint Answer & Crossclaim).

On July 22, 1991, the Co-Executors filed suit in North Carolina Superior Court, Mecklenburg County, against the other heirs of the Estate seeking declaratory judgments regarding accounts receivable flowing to and from the various parties and entities of the Estate. (Complaint ¶20). On April 27, 1992, the Co-Executors and the other heirs entered into a settlement agreement on this suit (the “1992 Settlement Agreement”). (Id. ¶ 28-29). The 1992 Settlement'Agreement acknowledged the existence of unpaid Federal estate taxes and the Section 6166 Election regarding those taxes, and it included an agreement by Godley, Jr. to pay any additional taxes that might be owed to the IRS or to indemnify the Estate if it was called upon' to pay such taxes. (Id.). The agreement also contained promises by all the heirs to repay any amounts previously advanced from the Estate if such demand was made by the Estate’s personal representative. (Id.).

Between February 7, 1992, and October 3, 1994, the Estate paid a total of $227,875 in taxes to the IRS,2 (id. ¶¶ 27, 31, 32, 35), which left $42,862 of the original tax assessment remaining unpaid. After auditing the Estate’s return, however, the IRS issued a notice of tax deficiency to the Co-Executors and to Godley, Jr. on August 2, 1994, explaining that the Estate owed an additional $696,554 in estate taxes. (Id. ¶ 34). This deficiency was due in large part to the IRS’s asserted increase in the valuation of property inherited solely by Godley, Jr. See (Doc. No. 20-9 at 9-12). On October 31, 1994, the Co-Executors filed a petition in the United States Tax Court (“Tax Court”) challenging the additional $696,554 of estate tax by disputing the valuation of the property that the IRS claimed created the deficiency. (Complaint ¶ 37).

In November 1994, the Estate made distributions to all of the beneficiaries except Godley, Jr. (Id. ¶ 38-39). Included were distributions totaling $221,488 to John White, William Godley, and Robert Godley, all of whom Signed refunding agreements providing that they would refund the amount distributed upon demand by the Estate’s representative in the event any [729]*729taxes were payable out of that distributed property. (Id. ¶ 40).

On December 29, 1994, the Co-Executors filed a petition with the Probate Court resigning from their positions, and with approval from the Probate Court, Godley, Jr. took over as the Administrator of the Estate. (Id. ¶¶ 42-48). As the new Administrator, Godley, Jr. also took over the prosecution of the Tax Court litigation regarding the valuation of the Estate property.

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Bluebook (online)
136 F. Supp. 3d 724, 116 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 6302, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 132671, 2015 WL 5732543, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-godley-ncwd-2015.