United States v. Nugent

300 F. Supp. 3d 932
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Kentucky
DecidedJanuary 12, 2018
DocketAction No. 5:16–cv–380–JMH
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 300 F. Supp. 3d 932 (United States v. Nugent) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Nugent, 300 F. Supp. 3d 932 (E.D. Ky. 2018).

Opinion

Joseph M. Hood, Senior U.S. District Judge

I. INTRODUCTION

This case is best summed up by two common expressions: (1) nothing is certain except death and taxes, and (2) better late than never. These age-old sayings contain a wealth of wisdom. But as with all well-known adages, exceptions exist to the general rules.

Defendant presents a hodgepodge of arguments that he falls within the exceptions. If he does not, then Defendant will have to fork over nearly half a million dollars in purported unpaid income taxes. He argues that the Government has put forward inadmissible evidence, failed to produce the agreement at issue, incorrectly determined the amounted owed, and simply filed this lawsuit too late.

But the Government wants paid. So the United States has come to this Court seeking *935to reduce federal tax assessments against Thomas Nugent to judgment. [DE 1]. Nugent agrees he owes the government money. [DE 5, p. 1, ¶ 6; 17, p. 1 ¶ 4]. But the parties disagree over how much Nugent should pay. The difference is hundreds of thousands of dollars. The United States has moved for Summary Judgment. [DE 13]. Nugent has also moved for Summary Judgment or, in the alternative, Judgment on the Pleadings. [DE 12]

All Motions are now fully briefed and ripe for the Court's review. For the reasons stated herein, Nugent's Motion for Summary Judgment, or in the alternative, Judgment on the Pleadings is DENIED . The Government's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART .

II. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The facts are straightforward. A delegate of the Secretary of the Treasury made an assessment of $109,367 and $61,489 against Nugent on September 11, 2006 for unpaid federal income taxes for 2003 and 2004, respectively. [DE 1, p. 2, ¶ 5]. In 2008, a delegate also assessed $18,535, $24,760, and $16,066 against Nugent for unpaid taxes for 2005, 2006, and 2007, respectively. [Id. ]. The Internal Revenue Service's ("IRS") account transcripts for Nugent indicate that it established an installment agreement on February 12, 2009. [DE 13-3 at 3]. The transcripts further reflect that Nugent made a series of monthly payments until November 19, 2010, when payment was dishonored. [Id. ]. By July 11, 2011, the account transcripts stated that Nugent was "[n]o longer in installment agreement status." [Id. at 4].

The Government filed this lawsuit on October 5, 2016 to collect the assessments for unpaid federal income taxes made against Nugent for 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. [DE 1]. Nugent filed his Answer, admitting that he has tax liability for 2005, 2006, and 2007. [DE 5]. He asserts, however, that the Government's claim for unpaid taxes for 2003 and 2004 is time-barred. [Id. ]. Because those claims are time-barred, Nugent further insists that the Government's total assessment of $496,499, plus penalties and interest, on October 3, 2016 is incorrect. [Id. ]. On January 17, 2017, the Court held a hearing and set a truncated discovery period. [DE 7, 8]. The parties later filed the instant Motions.

As part of its Motion for Summary Judgment, the Government attached a declaration from Revenue Officer Glenda Granville in addition to Nugent's account transcripts. [DE 13]. Nugent filed Motions to Strike the Granville declaration and the transcripts. Specifically, Nugent argued the transcripts were not properly authenticated and thus inadmissible. [DE 16]. Nugent also argued the transcripts were inadmissible on two theories: (1) under Rule 56(d) because he did not have an opportunity to depose Granville since the Government failed to turn over her information during discovery, and (2) under Rule 56(c)(4) because Granville's statements were not based on personal knowledge. [DE 15]. The Court rejected Nugent's arguments in a September 2017 Memorandum Opinion and Order. [DE 22]. In that Opinion, however, the Court reopened discovery to allow Nugent to depose Granville. [Id. ]. Nugent later waived his right to depose Granville stating there "is no further need to take the deposition." [DE 23].

Presently before the Court are the parties' cross Motions for Summary Judgment and Nugent's Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. Nugent has asked for Summary Judgment only on the 2003-2004 years because, he argues, the Government filed its lawsuit after the ten-year statute of limitations. The Government argues that an installment agreement with Nugent *936suspended the statute of limitations for thirty days, which gave the Government until October 11, 2016 to file this lawsuit. As to the 2005-2007 tax years, the Government has filed a Motion for Summary Judgment to which Nugent has responded, and the Government replied. The motions are now ripe for the Court's review.

III. ANALYSIS

A. Standard of Review

(i) Judgment on the Pleadings

"After the pleadings are closed ... a party may move for judgment on the pleadings." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(c). Under such a motion "all well-pleaded material allegations of the opposing party must be taken as true, and the motion may be granted only if the moving party is nevertheless clearly entitled to judgment." Tucker v. Middleburg-Legacy Place , 539 F.3d 545, 549 (6th Cir. 2008) (quoting JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Winget , 510 F.3d 577, 581 (6th Cir. 2007) ). A Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings requires the same "standard of review employed for a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6)." Florida Power Corp. v. FirstEnergy Corp. , 810 F.3d 996, 999 (6th Cir. 2015) (quoting Tucker , 539 F.3d at 549 ); EEOC v. J.H. Routh Packing Co. , 246 F.3d 850, 851 (6th Cir. 2001).

A motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) tests the sufficiency of the plaintiff's Complaint. A Complaint must contain a "short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). The Court views the Complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff and must accept as true all well-pleaded factual allegations contained within it. Ashcroft v. Iqbal

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Bluebook (online)
300 F. Supp. 3d 932, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-nugent-kyed-2018.