Zukowski v. Commissioner

1990 T.C. Memo. 113, 59 T.C.M. 33, 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 113
CourtUnited States Tax Court
DecidedMarch 7, 1990
DocketDocket No. 2309-85
StatusUnpublished

This text of 1990 T.C. Memo. 113 (Zukowski v. Commissioner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Tax Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zukowski v. Commissioner, 1990 T.C. Memo. 113, 59 T.C.M. 33, 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 113 (tax 1990).

Opinion

CHESTER ZUKOWSKI, JR., Petitioner v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Zukowski v. Commissioner
Docket No. 2309-85
United States Tax Court
T.C. Memo 1990-113; 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 113; 59 T.C.M. (CCH) 33; T.C.M. (RIA) 90113;
March 7, 1990
Chester Zukowski, pro se.
Julius Gonzalez, for the respondent.

RUWE

MEMORANDUM OPINION

*145 RUWE, Judge: This case is before the Court on respondent's motion for partial summary judgment, filed January 19, 1990, pursuant to Rule 121. 1

Respondent's motion claims that he is entitled to summary judgment with*114 respect to the fraud and statute of limitations issues on the grounds that petitioner is collaterally estopped from denying fraud for each of the years in issue, because of his previous conviction for tax *146 evasion. Petitioner opposes respondent's motion, claiming that his previous conviction for tax evasion does not estop him from contesting the additions to tax for fraud determined against him under section 6653(b) for taxable years 1977 and 1978.

Summary judgment is intended to expedite litigation and avoid unnecessary and expensive trials. Shiosaki v. Commissioner, 61 T.C. 861, 862 (1974). Summary judgment is not a substitute for a trial. Disputes over factual issues are not to be resolved in such proceedings. Naftel v. Commissioner, 85 T.C. 527, 529 (1985); Espinoza v. Commissioner, 78 T.C. 412, 416 (1982). Rule 121 provides that either party may move for a summary judgment upon all or any part of the legal issues in controversy so long as there is no genuine issue of material fact. Rule 121(b) provides that a decision shall be rendered if the pleadings, answers to interrogatories, depositions, admissions, and any*115 other acceptable materials, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that a decision may be rendered as a matter of law. Estate of Graves v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. 1294, 1295 (1989).

It is undisputed that petitioner was convicted of tax evasion (26 U.S.C. sec. 7201 (1982)) for each of the years in issue. His conviction was affirmed on appeal. A criminal conviction based on an indictment charging a willful attempt to evade or defeat taxes necessarily carries with it the ultimate factual determination that the resulting deficiency was due to fraud. Gray v. Commissioner, 708 F.2d 243 (6th Cir. 1983), affg. a Memorandum Opinion of this Court; Fontneau v. United States, 654 F.2d 8 (1st Cir. 1981); Amos v. Commissioner, 43 T.C. 50, 55 (1964), affd. 360 F.2d 358 (4th Cir. 1965); Moore v. United States, 360 F.2d 353, 355 (4th Cir. 1965); Tomlinson v. Lefkowitz, 334 F.2d 262, 265 (5th Cir. 1964); Arctic Ice Cream Co. v. Commissioner, 43 T.C. 68, 74-76 (1964). This finding of fraud is necessitated by the fact*116 that the term "willfully," as used in 26 U.S.C. sec. 7201, comprehends a specific intent to evade or defeat the payment of tax. United States v. Pomponio,

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Related

United States v. Murdock
290 U.S. 389 (Supreme Court, 1934)
Spies v. United States
317 U.S. 492 (Supreme Court, 1943)
United States v. Pomponio
429 U.S. 10 (Supreme Court, 1976)
John W. Amos v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
360 F.2d 358 (Fourth Circuit, 1965)
Albert H. Fontneau v. United States
654 F.2d 8 (First Circuit, 1981)
Amos v. Commissioner
43 T.C. 50 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)
Arctic Ice Cream Co. v. Commissioner
43 T.C. 68 (U.S. Tax Court, 1964)
Shiosaki v. Commissioner
61 T.C. No. 90 (U.S. Tax Court, 1974)
Espinoza v. Commissioner
78 T.C. No. 28 (U.S. Tax Court, 1982)
Naftel v. Commissioner
85 T.C. No. 30 (U.S. Tax Court, 1985)
Estate of Graves v. Commissioner
92 T.C. No. 86 (U.S. Tax Court, 1989)
Tomlinson v. Lefkowitz
334 F.2d 262 (Fifth Circuit, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
1990 T.C. Memo. 113, 59 T.C.M. 33, 1990 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zukowski-v-commissioner-tax-1990.