United States v. Mitchell

210 F. Supp. 810, 10 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5869, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3473
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Alabama
DecidedOctober 30, 1962
DocketCiv. A. No. 2228
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 210 F. Supp. 810 (United States v. Mitchell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Mitchell, 210 F. Supp. 810, 10 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5869, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3473 (S.D. Ala. 1962).

Opinion

DANIEL HOLCOMBE THOMAS, District Judge.

This cause coming on for trial, and upon the evidence submitted, the stipulations and agreements entered into by and between the United States and the individual defendants and by and between the United States and the respective life insurance company defendants, and after argument of counsel, the same having been considered by the Court, the Court now makes its Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. This is a civil action brought by the United States of America for the collection of Internal Revenue from Louis H. Mitchell and the other individual defendants and for the enforcement of tax liens asserted against the Travelers Insurance Company, the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America and the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, to secure the payment of such revenue.

2. On or about August 30, 1949, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue made assessments against Louis H. Mitchell for tax deficiencies for the years 1943 through 1946. The assessments were made pursuant to a determination by the [812]*812Commissioner that Louis H. Mitchell had filed false and fraudulent returns for the taxable years 1942 through 1946, and were in the following amounts:

UNPAID ASSESSMENTS AGAINST LOUIS H. MITCHELL INDIVIDUALLY
Taxable Period Amount Assessed Amount Outstanding
1943 Tax Interest Penalty $ 12,629.00 4,135.56 7,450.33 $24,214.89
1944 Tax Interest Penalty 63,061.81 16,866.87 31,530.91 111,459.59
1945 Tax Interest Penalty 197,956.61 41,069.22 98,978.31 338,004.14
1946 Tax Interest Penalty 70,161.63 10,346.43 35,080.82 115,588.88

The correctness of such assessments was challenged by Louis H. Mitchell in a petition filed with the Tax Court. Subsequently, however, Mitchell agreed to the liabilities in the amounts assessed by the Commissioner. On March 23, 1951, the Tax Court entered its decision, pursuant to the stipulation, wherein the deficiencies as originally determined were sustained. The Tax Court decision is before this Court as an exhibit to a stipulation between the United States and the individual defendants. Mitchell took no appeal from the Tax Court decision, which is now final and in full force and effect.

3. The Commissioner made additional assessments against Louis H. Mitchell for 1947 and for 1951 through 1953. The assessments were made for additional taxes for the years involved. The assessment for 1947 was made on October 24, 1952, the assessment for 1951 was made on July 11, 1952, the assessment for 1952 was made on June 16, 1953, and the assessment for 1953 was made on April 19, 1954. Such assessments were in the following amounts:

ADDITIONAL UNPAID ASSESSMENTS AGAINST LOUIS H. MITCHELL INDIVIDUALLY
Amount Taxable Period Amount Assessed Outstanding
1947 Tax Interest $57,933.84 17,794.12 $74,740.77
1951 Tax Interest 1,243.63 15.71 1,259.34
1952 Tax Interest 2,016.56 27.12 2,043.68
1953 Tax 658.00 658.00

[813]*8134. The Commissioner of Internal Revenue made an assessment against Louis H. and Betty K. Mitchell, jointly and severally for additional income taxes for the year 1948 on January 28, 1954, in the amount of $10,277.23.

5. Notice and demand was duly made on the taxpayers for the taxes, but the taxpayers have failed and neglected to pay the amounts assessed against them.

6. In connection with the above desmubed assessments, the taxpayers filed offers m compromise of their outstanding tax liability. The offers were submitted on April 29,1954, and were withdrawn by letter dated March 18, 1958, bemg on file for three years, ten months and twelve days.

7. Louis H. Mitchell had taken out four policies of life insurance. The policies were issued on the life of Louis H. Mitchell by the Travelers Insurance Company, John Hancock Mutual Life Insuranee Company, the Prudential Insurance Company of America and the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company. On or about September 1,1949, notices of levy were served upon each of these companies.

8. The Travelers Insurance Company issued its life insurance policy No. 1840704 on the life of Louis H. Mitchell on November 7, 1934, in the face amount of $13,630. On October 3, 1949, shortly after the receipt by The Travelers of the notice of tax lien, the cash surrender value of its policy was $1,043.10. Such policy lapsed for non-payment of the premium which fell due on May 7, 1952, and the cash surrender value of such policy on that date was $1,205.16. Subsequent to May 7,1952, and in accordance with the automatic provisions of such policy, The Travelers furnished Mitchell with extended term insurance in the face amount of $13,630 until May 17,1959, the date on which the cash surrender value of such policy was reduced to zero. Such policy terminated on May 17,1959, due to the fact that the cash surrender value of such policy as of May 7, 1952, in the amount of $1,205.16 had by May 17,1959, been used up in the funding of such extended term insurance.

9. The John Hancock Mutual Life InSUrance Company issued its Policy No. 3203980 on the life of Louis H. Mitchell on May 23, 1939, in the face amount of $7,500. Such policy as of October 3, 1949, the time of the notice of the tax lien, had a cash surrender value of $428.-10- Such policy lapsed for default in payment of the premium due on August 00 0 , ,, , , » 23, 1957. Subsequent to such default guch wag C(mtinued ag extended term ingurance in accordailce with the „ . „ ,. . . , , , automatic provision of such policy and , , such policy had a cash surrender value of ?42g-78 in August, 1959. The cash gurrender vaIue of such policy hag been constantly decreasing and became zero on June 26, 1962.

10. 0n June 2B> 1928f The Prudential Insurance Company of America issued a life insurance poiicy in the face amount of |5)000.00 on the life of Louis Mitchell, payable to Betty Mitchell, Beneficiary, wife of Louis MiteheH, if living, otherwise in equal shares to the living children of insured. Betty Mitchell is still living,

On September 15, 1943, Louis Mitchell exercised the Loan Provisions under said pobcy as follows:

Cash surrender value on that date $1,098.75
Maximum loan value 1,093.00
Loan made on that date 1,093.00

No interest or principal was ever paid by insured on this loan,

On the 1st day of September, 1949, there was served on Prudential a Notice of Levy on Treasury Department Form 668-A, reciting that there was then due these United States of America from Louis H. (Champ) Mitchell' $598,681.54, and further notifying Prudential “that all property rights to property, moneys, credits, and/or bank deposits now in your possession and belonging to the aforesaid Louis H. (Champ) Mitchell and all sums of money owing from you to the said Louis H. (Champ) Mitchell are hereby seized and levied upon for the payment of [814]*814the aforesaid tax,” and demand was made upon Prudential for this amount or such lesser sum it might be indebted to Mitchell.

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Related

United States v. Louis H. Mitchell
349 F.2d 94 (Fifth Circuit, 1965)
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243 F. Supp. 735 (W.D. Missouri, 1965)
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233 F. Supp. 921 (S.D. New York, 1964)
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333 F.2d 100 (Third Circuit, 1964)
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222 F. Supp. 664 (D. Nevada, 1963)

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Bluebook (online)
210 F. Supp. 810, 10 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5869, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3473, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-mitchell-alsd-1962.