United States v. Spence

110 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1678, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22389, 1999 WL 33119577
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedAugust 12, 1999
DocketCV-98-757-JP/DJS
StatusPublished

This text of 110 F. Supp. 2d 1335 (United States v. Spence) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Spence, 110 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1678, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22389, 1999 WL 33119577 (D.N.M. 1999).

Opinion

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

PARKER, District Judge.

The parties presented their evidence at a non-jury trial on July 19, 1999. At trial, defendants objected to the admission into evidence of plaintiffs exhibits 2a, 2b and 2c — photocopies of official public records of San Juan County, New Mexico — on the ground that they lacked authenticity. I gave plaintiff until July 23, 1999 to submit properly certified, authenticated copies of exhibits 2a, 2b and 2c. Plaintiff timely submitted certified copies of exhibits 2a, 2b and 2c, properly certified in accordance with Federal Rule of Evidence 902(1) and 902(4); and I have admitted exhibits 2a, 2b and 2c into evidence and, in addition, have taken judicial notice of the content of exhibits 2a, 2b and 2c which are properly recorded official public records of San Juan County, New Mexico. Having considered the evidence, I now make the following findings of fact and conclusions of law under Fed.R.Civ.P. 52(a).

Findings of Fact

1. On June 23, 1998, Plaintiff United States of America filed this action under 26 U.S.C. §§ 7401 and 7403 to reduce outstanding federal tax assessments against Defendants Raymond N. Spence and Lila M. Spence to judgment.

2. Plaintiff was authorized to bring this suit pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 7401 as evidenced by the unchallenged affidavit of Denise G. Dengler, Assistant United States Attorney, Department of Justice, and a redacted copy of the letter from the Albuquerque District Counsel to the Department of Justice which directs the Tax Division to take the necessary steps to institute legal proceedings in this case.

3. Defendants Raymond N. Spence and Lila M. Spence, husband and wife, reside at 2617 Mesa Drive, Farmington, New Mexico 87401.

4. Defendant Gary Wayne Spence, son of Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence, resides at 108 Whitley Drive, Warner Robbins, Georgia with his wife, Defendant Vicki L. Spence.

5. Defendant State of New Mexico, Department of Taxation and Revenue, has disclaimed any and all of its interests in this matter.

6. Defendant First Nationwide Mortgage Corporation, as the successor in interest to Four Corners Savings & Loan Association, currently holds a mortgage on the “Sullivan” property which was recorded on March 15, 1979 at the San Juan County Clerk’s Office in New Mexico at Book 850, Page 28.

7. Plaintiff requests the Court to satisfy its judgment against Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence by: (1) setting aside fraudulent conveyances of certain real properties; (2) foreclosing federal tax liens against certain real properties; (3) obtaining a sale of such properties; and, (4) obtaining a judgment for any amount remaining unpaid after the distribution of the proceeds generated by the sale of the subject real properties. Plaintiff seeks satisfaction of its judgment through the foreclosure sale of three parcels of real property.

8. The first parcel of real property subject to this civil action is located at 2617 Mesa Drive, Farmington, New Mexico (hereafter “the Mesa property”). The Mesa property is more particularly described as follows:

Lot Thirteen (13) and the north five (5) feet of Lot Twelve (12) in Block Six (6) of SUNSET HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION NUMBER TWO in the City of Farming-ton, San Juan County, New Mexico.

9. The second parcel of real property subject to this civil action is located at 1404 *1337 and 1404/é Sullivan, Farmington, New Mexico (hereafter “the Sullivan property”). The Sullivan property is more particularly described as follows:

Lots Four (4) and Five (5) in WEBB SUBDIVISION #1 in the City of Farmington, according to the plat thereof filed for record in the Office of San Juan County Clerk on May 3,1956.

10. The third parcel of real property subject to this civil action is located at 200 South Gower, Farmington, New Mexico (hereafter “the South Gower” property). The South Gower property is more particularly described as follows:

0.87 acres, more or less, in the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter (NW1/4NW1/4) of Section Seventeen (17), in Township Twenty-Nine (29) North of Range Thirteen (13) West, N.M.P.M., San Juan County, New Mexico, described as follows: BEGINNING at the Southeast corner of Lot Eleven (11), in Block One (1) of the Addition to the West Apache Subdivision, as filed for record March 8,1955;
THENCE North 7.2 feet;
THENCE East 82.5 feet;
THENCE South 111.0 feet;
THENCE South 7711361 West 284.6 feet;
THENCE North 164.9 feet;
THENCE East 195.5 feet to the point of beginning.

11. On September 15,1965, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence purchased the Mesa property by Warranty Deed, and thereby assumed a mortgage held by Mountain States Investment Corporation on that parcel of property.

12. On November 15, 1976, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence executed a second mortgage on the Mesa property in favor of the First National Bank of Farm-ington. The First National Bank mortgage was subject and inferior to the Mountain States Investment Corporation mortgage on the Mesa property.

13. On November 22, 1976, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence purchased the South Gower property by Warranty Deed. On that same date, the Defendants recorded a mortgage on the South Gower property in favor of Four Corners Savings and Loan Association at the San Juan County Clerk’s Office in New Mexico at Bk 776, p. 594.

14. On March 6,1979, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence purportedly transferred title to the Mesa and South Gower properties to the Universal Church of Taurus Order of Gower.

15. On March 9,1979, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence filed Vows of Poverty with the Clerk of San Juan County.

16. On May 4, 1981, Defendant Raymond Spence, as Administrator and Trustee of the Universal Church Order of Gower, and Defendants Lila and Gary Spence, as Trustees of the Universal Church Order of Gower, recorded a Warranty Deed in the San Juan County Clerk’s Office in New Mexico, purportedly transferring title to the South Gower property back to Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence.

17. On September 18,1981, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence again transferred title to the South Gower property to the Universal Church of Taurus Order of Gower.

18. On November 9, 1981, Defendants Raymond and Lila Spence satisfied First National Bank’s second mortgage on the Mesa property. This satisfaction of mortgage was recorded at Book 923, pg. 319 of the San Juan County Clerk’s Office in New Mexico.

19.

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110 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 1678, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22389, 1999 WL 33119577, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-spence-nmd-1999.