United States v. Warren Corp.

624 F. Supp. 1163, 33 Cont. Cas. Fed. 74,297, 57 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 739, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30535
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJanuary 13, 1986
DocketCiv. A. No. 84-1502-Y
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 624 F. Supp. 1163 (United States v. Warren Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Warren Corp., 624 F. Supp. 1163, 33 Cont. Cas. Fed. 74,297, 57 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 739, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30535 (D. Mass. 1986).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

YOUNG, District Judge.

This is a case brought under the Miller Act, 40 U.S.C. § 270a et seq. On September 30, 1982 the defendant, Warren Corporation (“Warren”), entered into a contract with the United States Department of the Army (the “Army”) for the reconstruction of a roadway at Fort Devens, Ayer, Massachusetts (the “contract”). As required by the Miller Act, Warren provided a performance bond and a payment bond covering the work to be performed at Fort Devens. The defendant, third-party plaintiff, National Grange Mutual Insurance Company (“National Grange”), was the surety upon these two bonds.

Warren hired a number of sub-contractors, and by November 26, 1983 all work to be performed under the contract was complete except for topsoiling, seeding, and the correction of certain deficiencies. On that date Warren, apparently because of financial difficulties, executed an assignment and delegation of the contract to National Grange. Warren notified the Army of this assignment. On December 6, 1983, the Army informed Warren that it considered the assignment null and void. The next day Richard Walsh (“Walsh”), president of Warren, submitted a “Payment Estimate-Contract Performance” form to the Army seeking to collect $144,026.55 for the work performed under the contract.

On January 30, 1984 the Internal Revenue Service (the “Service”) served a notice of levy on the Army for $152,041.51 owed to the United States by Warren. That same day, the Army approved Warren’s Payment Estimate. Pursuant to the levy the Army paid $144,026.55 over to the Service on February 2, 1984. This represented the entire amount to which Warren was entitled on the contract.

Not surprisingly, the sub-contractors began to wonder how and whether they would get paid. P.J. Keating Company, one of the sub-contractors, brought this suit against Warren and National Grange to recover $78,217.58 owed it by Warren [1165]*1165for work done at the Fort Devens project. National Grange brought in the remaining unpaid sub-contractors and the Service as third-party defendants. National Grange’s claim against P.J. Keating Company and the other sub-contractors is in the nature of an interpleader, and asks the Court fairly to divide the limited funds available under the payment bond. National Grange’s claim against the Service seeks recovery of part of the contract proceeds upon which the Service levied. National Grange claims that the levy was wrongful and fraudulent, and that it therefore is entitled, to the extent of its liability on the payment bond, to the money earned by Warren under the contract. The Service now moves to defeat the claim of National Grange by summary judgment.

National Grange’s third-party complaint, along with its memorandum in opposition to the present motion, spins an intriguing tale of fraud and deception on the part of the Service and the Army. According to National Grange, the Service devised a scheme to collect money owed it by Warren, Walsh, and another company controlled by Walsh, Walsh Co. Inc. Under this alleged scheme the Service would see to it that Warren was awarded the Fort Devens contract. In return, Warren agreed not to seek progress payments, but rather to allow its account to build up so that the Service could levy on it to satisfy the tax liabilities of the three related taxpayers. Since virtually all the work on the project was to be done by sub-contractors, Warren effectively would be getting these sub-contractors to pay its taxes. Unfortunately for National Grange, there is not a scintilla of evidence which suggests that this bizarre “plot” is anything other than the product of National Grange’s corporate imagination.

In the first place, the documents submitted by the Service demonstrate conclusively that the levy related solely to the tax obligations of Warren Corporation. Likewise, there is absolutely no evidence of an agreement between the Service and Walsh. In its answers to National Grange’s interrogatories the Service denies knowledge or record of any such agreement. Moreover, the record is absent any deposition or affidavit testimony from Walsh, the other party one would expect could verify National Grange’s theory. In short, only National Grange’s counsel claims knowledge of the agreement. National Grange points to the fact that Warren did not seek progress payments before the work was completed as its “smoking gun.” The Court rules that, as matter of law, that evidence is an insufficient basis from which the trier of fact could infer the alleged agreement.

Summary judgment is appropriate where there exists no disputed issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as matter of law. Rule 56(c), Fed.R.Civ.P. Bare allegations do not create disputed issues of fact, however. A party opposing a motion for summary judgment has an affirmative duty to adduce some evidence which supports his claim of a factual dispute. Massaro v. Vernitron Corp., 559 F.Supp. 1068, 1073 (D.Mass. 1983). As the preceding discussion demonstrates there is insufficient evidence before the Court to create a question of fact concerning the alleged agreement between Walsh and the Service. Viewing the record now before the Court in the light most favorable to National Grange, the only question in the case is this: Is the United States’ claim to the contract proceeds superior to National Grange’s claim, notwithstanding the assignment by Warren, and the fact that National Grange is subrogated to the rights of the subcontractors? The Court holds that it is, and the Service’s motion for summary judgment therefore must be allowed.

The papers filed in this case suggest three bases by which National Grange seeks to attack the Service’s levy on the contract proceeds; (1) 40 U.S.C. § 270a(d), (2) 26 U.S.C. § 7426(a)(1), and (3) as a subrogee of the sub-contractors. Neither the two statutes, nor the subrogation theory are sufficient to overcome the United States' superior right of setoff.

[1166]*1166National Grange’s reliance on 40 U.S.C. § 270a(d) is clearly misplaced. That statute specifies the circumstances under which the United States can claim against a performance bond for taxes withheld by the contractor. Contrary to the arguments of National Grange, the section is not applicable to an attempt by a materialman or an assignee to recover contract proceeds.

Section 7426(a)(1) of Title 26 likewise is unavailing for National Grange. That section sets forth the method by which a party may challenge the actions of the United States in levying for taxes upon property. It provides that:

any person (other than the person against whom is assessed the tax out of which such levy arose) who claims an interest in or lien on such property and that such property was wrongfully levied upon may bring a civil action against the United States in a district court of the United States.

National Grange claims that the assignment to it by Warren of the contract proceeds gives it a sufficient interest to attack the levy.

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624 F. Supp. 1163, 33 Cont. Cas. Fed. 74,297, 57 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 739, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30535, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-warren-corp-mad-1986.