United States v. Ring Const. Corp.

96 F. Supp. 762, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2516
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedFebruary 23, 1951
DocketCiv. A. No. 2287
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 96 F. Supp. 762 (United States v. Ring Const. Corp.) 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. Ring Const. Corp., 96 F. Supp. 762, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2516 (mnd 1951).

Opinion

NORDBYE, Chief Judge.

This cause came before the Court on plaintiff’s motion to dismiss the counterclaim which defendant sets forth in its amended answer.

By this action plaintiff seeks to recover from defendant profits which were found by the Secretary of War to be excessive upon renegotiation of certain contracts entered into between plaintiff and defendant as part of the military building program at the commencement of World War II. Defendant has interposed a counterclaim which plaintiff now asks the Court to dismiss. The following facts are necessary for an understanding of the motion.

Shortly before World War II defendant was low bidder on part of the work for constructing cantonment buildings at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and was awarded the contract 'for that part of the work by the Government at a fixed price of $6,836,412.21. Apparently the Government furnished the specifications for the buildings. On April 28, 1942, after the contract was executed, and a substantial amount of the work was finished, but before final payment had been made by the Government to defendant, Congress enacted the Renegotiation Act, 56 Stat. 226, 245, 50 U.S.C.A.Appendix, § 1191. Thereafter, an additional contract in the sum of $80,576.30 was awarded to defendant by the Government and was performed by defendant. Section 403 of the Renegotiation Act provided, “(c) The Secretary * * * is authorized and directed, whenever in his opinion excessive profits have been realized, or are likely to be realized, from any contract with such Department or from any subcontract thereunder, (1) to require the contractor or subcontractor to renegotiate the contract price, * * * (3) in case any amount of the contract price found as a result of such renegotiation to represent excessive profits shall have been paid to the contractor or subcontractor, to recover such amount from such contractor or subcontractor * * * such Secretary may bring actions in the appropriate courts of the United States to recover such amount on behalf of the United States. * * * This subsection shall be applicable to all contracts and subcontracts hereafter made and to all contracts or subcontracts heretofore made, whether or not such contracts or subcontracts contain a renegotiation or recapture clause, provided that final payments pursuant to such contract or subcontract has not been made prior to the date of enactment of this Act.” Subsequent amendments of this provision restated these provisions as well as adding others hereinafter noted.

The Secretary of War proceeded to require renegotiation of the above contracts upon authority of this provision and eventually determined that $1,365,000 in excess profits had been paid the defendant and that this amount, less $1,071,155.76, must be refunded to the Government. A net amount of $293,844.24 was demanded from defendant, who immediately filed an appeal to the Tax Court under authority of Section 403(e) of the Renegotiation Act as amended by Section 701 of the Internal Revenue Act of 1943, Title VII. That provision declares, “(e) (1) Any contractor or subcontractor aggrieved by an order of the [Secretary] determining the amount of excessive profits received or accrued by such contractor! or subcontractor may, within ninety days (not counting Sunday or a legal holiday in the District of Colum[766]*766bia as the last day) after the mailing of the notice of such an order under subsection (c) (1), file a petition with the Tax Court of the United States for a re-determination thereof.” But on or about November 7, 1946 — before the appeal could be determined by the Tax Court — the Secretary commenced the instant action pursuant to Section 403(c) of the Renegotiation Act, supra, to recover the net amount of money which he alleged due as excessive profits. The defendant and the Secretary stipulated on or about March 4, 1947, that the action in this Court should be stayed by this Court until the final determination of the Tax Court proceeding. Security was furnished to the Government by defendant. After a hearing, the Tax Court reduced the amount of defendant’s excess profits to $1,208,965.63 and held that defendant must return to the Government a net (after tax allowances) of $210,479.31. Defendant appealed that decision to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. But in order to stop the interest from running on the amount which the Tax Court held returnable defendant and plaintiff executed another stipulation on or about July 21, 1948. It provided that defendant would pay the $210,479.31, net, under protest, reserving, nevertheless, whatever rights defendant might have to recover the sum in the future. The sum of $210,479.31 was paid by defendant to the plaintiff and bonds were placed in escrow to protect the Government’s claim for interest upon this amount.

The Court of Appeals concluded that the Tax Court’s determination was made final by statute, and that the Court of Appeals had jurisdiction to review only the constitutional questions which defendant raised on the appeal. The court held that the Re-, negotiation Act was constitutional and dismissed the appeal. Ring Construction Company v. Secretary of War of United States, 85 U.S.App.D.C. 386, 178 F.2d 714. The United States Supreme Court refused certiorari, 339 U.S. 943, 70 S.Ct. 796. Plaintiff now is seeking to enforce liis remaining rights in the instant action. Defendant has amended its answer in this action to include a counterclaim for the amount paid under the stipulation of July 21, 1948. Defendant also alleges the facts stated in the counterclaim as a defense to plaintiff’s claim for interest. The plaintiff moves for dismissal of that counterclaim upon the grounds that (1) this Court’s jurisdiction over the counterclaim could exist only under the Tucker Act, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1346, and therefore is limited to $10,000 claims; (2) the determination by the Tax Court concerning defendant’s excess profits is a final determination not subject to review here; (3) the issues raised by defendant’s counterclaim are res adjudicata as between plaintiff and defendant.

This Court’s jurisdiction exists by virtue of statutory grant. Section 1345 of 28 U.S.C.A. provides, “Except as otherwise provided by Act of Congress, the district courts shall have original jurisdiction of all civil actions, suits or proceedings commenced by the United States, or by any agency or officer thereof expressly authorized to sue by Act of Congress.” Section 403(c) of the Renegotiation Act, supra, authorizes the Secretary of War to bring this action in this Court to recover alleged excess profits. Therefore, this Court possesses jurisdiction over the action brought by plaintiff herein. The basic issue is whether jurisdiction over an action brought by the United States or its officers creates jurisdiction over defendant’s counterclaim against the Government.

It is well settled that without the statutory consent of Congress the United States cannot be sued. United States v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., 1939, 309 U.S. 506, 514, 60 S.Ct. 653, 84 L.Ed. 894; United States v. Shaw, 1939, 309 U.S. 495, 500, 501, 60 S.Ct. 659, 84 L.Ed. 888; State of Kansas v. United States, 204 U.S. 331, 27 S.Ct. 388, 51 L.Ed. 510; United States v. Thompson, 98 U.S. 486, 489, 490, 25 L.Ed. 194.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
96 F. Supp. 762, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2516, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ring-const-corp-mnd-1951.