Zahra Spiritual Trust v. United States

910 F.2d 240, 66 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5491, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 15149, 1990 WL 115885
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedAugust 29, 1990
DocketNo. 89-5576
StatusPublished
Cited by70 cases

This text of 910 F.2d 240 (Zahra Spiritual Trust v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zahra Spiritual Trust v. United States, 910 F.2d 240, 66 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5491, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 15149, 1990 WL 115885 (5th Cir. 1990).

Opinion

EDITH H. JONES, Circuit Judge:

Dar Al-Hikmah N.V., Inc., Mudin, Inc., and Zahra Spiritual Trust brought suit against the United States under 28 U.S.C. § 2410 to quiet title to certain real property and to discharge federal tax liens upon the property. Following a bench trial, the district court dismissed appellants’ consolidated action and declared the liens valid. Although the district court evaluated the evidence thoroughly and conscientiously, we must vacate and remand for additional proceedings consistent with this opinion.

I.

PROCEEDINGS

This dispute arises out of a tax jeopardy assessment rendered on April 9, 1986 by the IRS against Fadhlalla and Muneera Haeri for income tax liability during the tax years 1981 and 1982.1

On April 10 and 14 of 1986, IRS filed several notices of federal tax lien reflecting assessments against property owned by the Haeris in Blanco and Bexar Counties, Texas. In September of 1986, IRS also filed notices of federal tax lien against the following persons and entities who allegedly held property as nominees of the Haeris: Dar Al-Hikmah, on separate parcels located in Blanco and Bexar Counties; Zahra Trust a/k/a Zahra Spiritual Trust on property located in Blanco County; and Mudin, Inc. on property located in Bexar County.

In rendering judgment for IRS, the district court found that Dar Al-Hikmah fraudulently conveyed certain Blanco County property to Zahra and that Dar Al-Hik-mah and Mudin held certain Blanco County and Bexar County property as nominee/alter ego of the taxpayers. Zahra, Dar Al-Hikmah and Mudin appeal.

II.

FACTS

During the 1970’s, Mr. Haeri and his friend and relative, Mr. Jafar, formed a partnership named Project Development Company (“PDC”), which provided consulting services. PDC was located in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. In 1978, after deciding to abandon the business world and devote his time to studying and teaching the Islamic faith, Haeri turned over his 47% interest in PDC to Jafar. Jafar established the Haeri Trust, an entity intended to provide Haeri, the sole beneficiary, with a reasonable standard of living. The Haeri Trust assets included: forty-seven (47) shares of PDC, five-hundred (500) shares of Dar Al-Hikmah, two (2) shares of Haeri [242]*242and Associates, and all the shares of Mu-din, Inc.

Dar Al-Hikmah, a Netherland Antilles Corporation, N.V. incorporated in 1979, was formed and funded by Jafar and given to the Haeri Trust. Ownership of Dar Al-Hikmah is designated by bearer shares held by the Trustees of the Haeri Trust. Dar Al-Hikmah’s sole business is the ownership of real estate in Bexar and Blanco Counties. Haeri held a power of attorney for Dar Al-Hikmah and is the registered agent for the company in Texas. The funds used by Dar Al-Hikmah to acquire certain tracts of real property in Bexar County were provided by PDC. Fadhlalla and Muneera Haeri authorized the disbursement of purchase funds and negotiated the purchase of the Bexar County property. The Haeris, their guests, and servants resided on the tracts located in Bexar County. They did not pay rent to the corporation. Dar Al-Hikmah funds were used to pay the Haeris’ personal living expenses.

Mudin, Inc., a Texas corporation, was formed in October of 1980. Muneera Haeri serves as Mudin’s president, secretary, and director. Mudin was formed with the sole purpose of holding title to real estate in Bexar County and carries on no other business activities. Mudin’s initial shareholders were Muna Haeri2 and Fadhlalla Haeri as custodian for his minor daughter, Dina Haeri; the shares were later transferred to the Haeri Trust. Fadhlalla Haeri was Mu-din’s sole director until August of 1982. Fadhlalla and Muneera Haeri both served as officers of Mudin. Muneera Haeri managed Mudin’s bank account and used the funds to pay the Haeris’ personal expenditures.

III.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Dar Al-Hikmah and Mudin contend that under Texas law, there is insufficient evidence to support the district court’s decision to disregard their corporate forms and treat them as alter egos of the taxpayers. Appellants object to the court’s application of law as well as its findings of fact.

We review the district court’s findings of fact under the clearly erroneous standard, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 52; and we review de novo the district court’s conclusions of law. Our court has previously held that a district court’s finding of an alter ego relationship is reviewed for clear error. United States v. Jon-T Chemicals, Inc., 768 F.2d 686, 694 (5th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1014, 106 S.Ct. 1194, 89 L.Ed.2d 309 (1986); see also Shades Ridge Holding Co., Inc. v. United States, 888 F.2d 725, 729 (11th Cir.1989), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 110 S.Ct. 1472, 108 L.Ed.2d 609 (1990); Valley Finance Inc. v. United States, 629 F.2d 162, 172 (D.C.Cir.1980), cert. denied, 451 U.S. 1018, 101 S.Ct. 3007, 69 L.Ed.2d 389 (1981).3 Under the clearly erroneous standard, “[w]e will reverse only if, after reviewing the evidence as a whole, we are ‘left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.’ ” Jon-T Chemicals, 768 F.2d at 694 (citing United States v. United States Gypsum Co., 333 U.S. 364, 395, 68 S.Ct. 525, 542, 92 L.Ed. 746 (1948)). In determining whether the appellants are the alter egos of the taxpayers, and whether the taxpayer has an interest in property to which the government’s tax lien attached, we look to state law. Aquilino v. United States, 363 U.S. 509, 513, 80 S.Ct. 1277, 1280-81, 4 L.Ed.2d 1365 (1960); United States v. Chapman, 756 F.2d 1237, 1240 (5th Cir.1985) (“state law of Texas defines whether the taxpayer has a property right in the Texas-sited realty; if he does it is subject to the government tax lien”).

IV.

DISREGARDING THE CORPORATE FICTION

The Texas Supreme Court recently summarized and discussed the various theories [243]*243for disregarding the corporate form. See Castleberry v. Branscum, 721 S.W.2d 270, 271 (Tex.1986). The Castleberry court began its discussion by stating generally that the corporate form will be disregarded when it “has been used as part of a basically unfair device to achieve an inequitable result.” Id. at 271 (footnote omitted). The court then listed several theories through which the corporate form may be disregarded:

(1) when the fiction is used as a means of perpetrating fraud;
(2) where a corporation is organized and operated as a mere tool or business conduit of another corporation;

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910 F.2d 240, 66 A.F.T.R.2d (RIA) 5491, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 15149, 1990 WL 115885, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zahra-spiritual-trust-v-united-states-ca5-1990.