United States v. Langert

902 F. Supp. 999, 1995 WL 626460
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedOctober 10, 1995
DocketCiv. 3-94-1464
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 902 F. Supp. 999 (United States v. Langert) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Langert, 902 F. Supp. 999, 1995 WL 626460 (mnd 1995).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

KYLE, District Judge.

Introduction

Before the Court is the Plaintiff United States of America’s (“the United States”) Motion for Summary Judgment pursuant to Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The United States filed suit in this Court pursuant to sections 7401, 7402, and 7403 of the Internal Revenue Code (“the Code”), 26 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7403. In Count I of the Complaint, the United States seeks to reduce to judgment tax assessments made against defendants Donald V. Langert and Linda M. Langert for unpaid income taxes and civil penalties from the years 1978 through 1983. In Count II of the Complaint, the United States requests that the Court foreclose upon a tax lien placed on certain real property owned by the Langerts and order a sale of the property. The United States further requests that the Court order a distribution of the proceeds of the sale. The parties — other than the Langerts — have agreed to the relative priorities of their interests in the property by a stipulation (Doc. No. 16). For the reasons set forth below, the Court will grant the motion.

Background

Donald V. Langert and Linda M. Langert presently own, as joint tenants with right of survivorship, real property legally described as “Lot 5, Block 2, Arcadian Acres 2nd Addition, Anoka County, Minnesota,” and located at 18450 Jívaro Street N.W., Anoka, Minnesota 55303 (hereinafter “the property”). The Langerts received a warranty deed for the property from Ralph and Lilliam Pearson on *1001 May 26, 1976. (Gov’t Ex. 1.) On May 28, 1976, the Langerts granted a mortgage against the property to Twin City Federal Savings and Loan Association (“TCF”); the mortgage was recorded on June 15, 1976 with the Anoka County Recorder. (Gov’t Ex. 2.)

The Langerts failed to file individual federal income tax returns for the tax years 1978 through 1982. 1 See Declaration of David Sussman, ¶ 3 (Gov’t Ex. 5). On June 20, 1983, the United States assessed a civil penalty against Donald Langert individually in the amount of $500.00. Id., ¶4. On April 13, 1984, the United States sent Notices of Assessment to Donald Langert individually for the tax years 1978 through 1980. Id. On July 11, 1984, the Anoka County Recorder recorded a federal tax lien against the property with respect to the amounts owed by Donald Langert under those assessments; the lien was refiled on February 9, 1990. (Gov’t Ex. 4.) On May 24, 1988, the United States sent Notices of Assessment to the Langerts jointly for the 1981 and 1982 tax years. Sussman Deck, ¶ 4. On March 11, 1994, the Anoka County Recorder recorded a federal tax lien against the property with respect to the amounts indicated as being owed by the Langerts, filing jointly, under those assessments. (Gov’t Ex. 4.) On June 20, 1993, tax liens in favor of the United States arose under 26 U.S.C. § 6321 for liability assessed against Donald V. Langert for a civil penalty due for the year ending April 1983.

As of June 20, 1995, Donald Langert continued to owe the sum of $113,496.32, plus additional interest and additions accruing pursuant to law after August 1, 1994. 2 Suss-man Deck, ¶ 5. As of July 20, 1995, Linda M. Langert owed the sum of $3,143.53, plus additional statutory interest and accruals. 3 Second Deck of David Sussman, ¶¶ 3, 4.

Analysis

I. Standard of Decision

Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs motions for summary judgment. Under that Rule:

[summary] judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.

Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). Summary judgment is to be granted only where the evidence is such that no reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

Initially, the movant bears the burden of bringing forward sufficient evidence to establish that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex Corp. *1002 v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). In evaluating the movant’s showing, the evidence offered by the non-moving party is to be believed and all justifiable inferences therefrom are to be drawn in a light most favorable to that party. Matsushita Elec. Indus. v. Zenith Radio, 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1357, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Where a moving party, with whatever it provides the court, makes and supports a motion for summary judgment in accordance with Rule 56, a party opposing the motion may not rest upon the allegations or denials of its pleadings; rather, the nonmovant must “set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. at 2514; Krenik v. County of Le Sueur, 47 F.3d 953, 957 (8th Cir.1995). Accordingly, the nonmovant “must make a sufficient showing on every essential element of its case for which it has the burden of proof at trial.” Wilson v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., 55 F.3d 399, 405 (8th Cir.1995). A summary judgment motion should be denied, however, unless the court is convinced that there is no evidence to sustain recovery in any circumstances. Foster v. Johns-Manville Sales Corp., 787 F.2d 390, 392 (8th Cir.1986).

II. The Establishment of the Langerts’ Liability for Taxes Owed

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Bluebook (online)
902 F. Supp. 999, 1995 WL 626460, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-langert-mnd-1995.