Western Management, Inc. v. United States

45 Fed. Cl. 543, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 591, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 7, 2000 WL 49375
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJanuary 21, 2000
DocketNo. 97-340T
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 45 Fed. Cl. 543 (Western Management, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Western Management, Inc. v. United States, 45 Fed. Cl. 543, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 591, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 7, 2000 WL 49375 (uscfc 2000).

Opinion

OPINION

FIRESTONE, Judge.

This tax refund action is currently before the court on the parties’ cross motions for partial summary judgment on the issue of liability. The issues to be decided are: (1) whether, for tax years 1991, 1992, and 1993, Robert E. Kovacevich was a statutory employee of plaintiff corporation under 26 U.S.C. § 3121(d)(1) (1994 & Supp.1997); and (2) if so, whether plaintiff corporation is enti-[544]*544tied to relief under the safe harbor provision of section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978.1

After carefully reviewing the submissions and arguments of the parties, the court hereby GRANTS defendant’s cross motion for partial summary judgment.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

I. Stipulated Facts

For purposes of partial summary judgment on the issue of liability, the following facts have been agreed to by the parties:2

1. Robert E. Kovacevich was admitted to practice law as an attorney in 1992 and 1993, having been admitted since the 1960s.
2. Robert E. Kovacevich was continuously engaged in the business of practicing law eighteen years before plaintiff was formed.
3. Robert E. Kovacevich was a specialist in certain practice areas.
4. The nature of the law practice of Robert E. Kovacevich required a great degree of skill and expertise.
5. From the time plaintiff was founded in 1981 through 1997, plaintiffs name was Robert E. Kovacevich, P.S.
6. From the time plaintiff was founded in 1981 through 1997, plaintiff was incorporated in the State of Washington as a professional services corporation.
7. From 1981 through 1997, one of the purposes of the corporation was “to practice law in accordance with Chapter 2.44 R.C.W. and Washington Supreme Court Rules for Admission to Practice 1-10 through its duly licensed employee or employees and clerks, secretaries, technicians, and assistants as may be allowable under said laws.”
8. During 1992 and 1993, plaintiff was a “C” corporation for tax purposes.
9. Robert E. Kovacevich never agreed not to compete in the practice of law with plaintiff.
10. Account No. 13697-404 was opened in 1963.
11. Robert Kovacevich from 1963 through at least 1994 controlled account number 13697-404.
12. The income from the law practice was all deposited in bank account 13697-404 at the Seattle First National Bank.
13. From 1963 through 1981, Robert E. Kovacevich was engaged in the practice of law as a sole proprietor and deposited the income from his law practice in this account number 13697-404.
14. Plaintiff corporation maintained a pooled trust account.
15. Robert E. Kovacevich did not maintain a pooled trust account separate from plaintiffs account during the years in question.
16. Of all the checks written on account number 13697-404 in 1992 and 1993, not more than two were written to Robert E. Kovacevich expressly by name.
17. Robert Kovacevich was the incorpo-rator and served as registered agent for plaintiff.
18. From the time plaintiff corporation was founded in 1981 through 1997, Robert E. Kovacevich was the sole shareholder, subject to the beneficial interest of Yvonne R. Kovacevich.
19. From the time plaintiff was founded in 1981 through 1997, Robert E. Ko-vacevich served as director of plaintiff.
20. From the time plaintiff was founded in 1981 through 1997, Robert E. Ko-vacevich served as president of the corporation.
[545]*54521. From the time plaintiff was founded in 1981 through 1997, Robert E. Ko-vacevich controlled the corporation.
22. Robert E. Kovacevich made the major decisions for plaintiff.
23. Robert E. Kovacevich was ultimately responsible for the day-to-day management of plaintiff.
24. The plaintiff was controlled by Robert E. Kovacevich.
25. During 1992 or 1993, no officer or directors of plaintiff were elected, but Robert E. Kovacevich acted as president.
26. During 1992 and 1993 plaintiff had no formal corporate meetings.
27. During 1992 and 1993 plaintiff had no informal corporate meetings.
28. The plaintiff has no corporate minutes book.
29. During 1992 and 1993 Robert E. Ko-vacevich spent less than two hours each year working on corporate formalities as Officer or Director of Plaintiff.
30. Robert E. Kovacevich has never been paid by Plaintiff for performing the corporate formalities of plaintiff as an Officer or Director.
31. Robert E. Kovacevich worked approximately one hour per month on administrative matters for plaintiff and left daily administrative matters to employees under his supervision.
32. Robert E. Kovacevich spent a significant amount of time supervising plaintiffs employees to accomplish legal work.
33. Robert E. Kovacevich’s assistants, including a paralegal, Colleen Frank, who performed research projects and other work for Robert E. Kovacevich, and who was under his supervision, were paid for out of Seafirst Bank Account # 13697404. Their salaries were deducted on plaintiffs corporate income tax return.
34. Yvonne R. Kovacevich filled in for employees of plaintiff when those employees were not available, and Yvonne R. Kovacevich was consulted with regard to support staff questions, but did not receive any payments from plaintiff for such work for the years in question.
35. Plaintiffs Forms 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return) for the quarters at issue in this case were signed by Robert Kovacevich as president.
36. Plaintiffs Form 940-EZ (Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return) for the years at issue were signed by Robert Kovace-vich as president.
37. Plaintiffs Form 1120 (U.S. Corporation Income Tax) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1992, March 31, 1993, and March 31, 1994, were signed by Robert E. Kovacevich as president.
38. Colleen Frank testified that Robert E. Kovacevich was the only full-time attorney for plaintiff.
39. During the years 1992 and 1993, Robert E. Kovacevich performed legal services of approximately 60-70 hours per week, which he billed to clients through bills sent by plaintiff.
40. Robert E. Kovacevich approved all hires, some of which he never interviewed, and he fired all of plaintiffs employees.

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45 Fed. Cl. 543, 85 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 591, 2000 U.S. Claims LEXIS 7, 2000 WL 49375, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/western-management-inc-v-united-states-uscfc-2000.