1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*68
WROG and 1983 WROG are limited partnerships. The tax matters partner, P, disappeared in 1985 when a warrant was issued for his arrest. In February 1986, the two limited partnerships were placed in receivership and S was appointed receiver pendente lite by the U.S. District Court. S was not a partner in WROG or 1983 WROG. Creditors of WROG and 1983 WROG instituted involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against the two partnerships in May 1986. In September 1987, the receivership was terminated and the proceedings were referred to the bankruptcy court by the U.S. District Court.
Notices of final partnership administrative adjustment were issued to 1983 WROG on Mar. 10, 1987, and to WROG on Mar. 13, 1987. Notices for each partnership were 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*69 sent to P as tax matters partner and to S as tax matters partner. Also, a notice addressed to "Tax Matters Partner" was sent to each partnership at its business address. Timely petitions were filed with respect to both partnerships by S. Multiple petitions were subsequently filed on behalf of a 5-percent notice group of each partnership.
1. The petitions filed in the Tax Court in response to the FPAA's were not filed in violation of the automatic stay of
2. That, since the order of the District Court appointing S as receiver did not empower S to file a petition in the Tax Court, and since S did not otherwise qualify as tax matters partner, he was not a proper person to file a petition.
3. That a 5-percent group prematurely filed a petition on the 90th day after mailing of the notices of final partnership administrative adjustment, and accordingly, said petition is dismissed.
4. That, since one of the petitions filed thereafter by a 5-percent group with respect to each partnership is timely and valid, additional petitions filed after the timely petition for each partnership was filed are dismissed.
5. That the notices of final partnership administrative adjustment were properly issued and, accordingly, the 5-percent groups' motions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction are denied.
95 T.C. 51">*52 OPINION
These cases were assigned to and heard by Special Trial Judge Peter J. Panuthos pursuant to the provisions of section 7443A and Rule 180. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code, unless otherwise stated, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Court agrees with and adopts the Special Trial Judge's opinion, which1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*71 is set forth below.
95 T.C. 51">*53 OPINION OF THE SPECIAL TRIAL JUDGE
Panuthos,
BACKGROUND
WROG and 1983 WROG are limited partnerships organized under California law with their principal place of business at Los Angeles, California. Trevor M. Phillips (Phillips) was the tax matters partner of WROG and 1983 WROG. The only other general partner of the two partnerships was a California corporation, Phillips International Marketing Co., of which Phillips was sole shareholder. Phillips disappeared sometime in late 1985, at about which time a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with his alleged failure to honor an order of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California enforcing an Internal Revenue Service summons.
On February 28, 1986, 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*72 Richard G. Shaffer (Shaffer) was appointed receiver pendente lite of WROG and 1983 WROG by order of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in a proceeding brought by a limited partner of the two partnerships. The order provided in part that Shaffer as receiver could --
act personally or through agents and counsel as tax matters partner under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act on behalf of the Western Reserve partnerships in all proceedings before the Internal Revenue Service or any other tax or administrative agency and to take such actions as the receiver may deem advisable.
Shaffer was not, however, a general or limited partner of WROG or 1983 WROG.
On May 29, 1986, creditors and limited partners of the partnerships instituted involuntary bankruptcy proceedings 95 T.C. 51">*54 against the partnerships. The preliminary injunction ordering WROG and 1983 WROG into receivership and appointing Shaffer receiver pendente lite was dissolved by order of the District Court on September 17, 1987. The order dissolving the preliminary injunction also referred the involuntary bankruptcy cases of WROG and 1983 WROG under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code to the1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*73 U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
(1)
Triplicate original notices of final partnership administrative adjustment (FPAA's) were issued to WROG on March 13, 1987. FPAA's were addressed to "Trevor Phillips, Tax Matters Partner" and to "Tax Matters Partner, Western Reserve Oil and Gas," at the partnership's business address, 811 West Seventh Street, Suite 1220, Los Angeles, California 90017-3423. A third FPAA was issued to "Richard Shaffer, Tax Matters Partner," at the business address of the partnership.
Four petitions were filed on behalf of WROG for the 1983 taxable year. The first petition, docket No. 18039-87, was filed by Shaffer, purportedly as tax matters partner, within the 90-day period provided for in
(2)
Triplicate original FPAA's determining adjustments to the 1983 partnership return of 1983 WROG were mailed to "Trevor Phillips, Tax Matters Partner," "Richard1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*74 Shaffer, Tax Matters Partner," and "Tax Matters Partner, 1983 Western Reserve Oil and Gas" at the partnership's business address on March 10, 1987. Shaffer filed a petition, purportedly as tax matters partner, at docket No. 17301-87 within 90 days of the mailing of the FPAA's.
A petition for redetermination of the adjustments set forth in the FPAA was filed on June 19, 1987, at docket No. 95 T.C. 51">*55 18853-87 on behalf of a 5-percent group of 1983 WROG partners (the 1983 WROG 5-percent group). A second petition, based on the same FPAA as the petition at docket No. 18853-87, was filed at docket No. 27014-87 on August 11, 1987, on behalf of the 1983 WROG 5-percent group.
Respondent moved to dismiss the cases at docket Nos. 18039-87 and 17301-87 on the ground that Shaffer as receiver pendente lite of WROG and 1983 WROG was not eligible to file a petition because he is not the tax matters partner of the partnerships. Respondent filed what he styles as "alternative" motions to dismiss the cases at docket Nos. 17441-87, 17703-87, 18596-87, 18853-87, and 27014-87, filed on behalf of members of the 5-percent groups, on the ground that petitions with respect1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*75 to the same FPAA's had already been filed by Shaffer as tax matters partner of WROG and 1983 WROG at docket Nos. 18039-87 and 17301-87, respectively. Respondent has also moved to dismiss all but one of the duplicate petitions filed as to each limited partnership by the respective 5-percent groups in the event we dismiss the petitions filed by the receiver, on the ground that only one such action may go forward under
Petitioners in docket Nos. 17441-87, 17703-87, 18596-87, 18853-87, and 27014-87 have filed motions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction on the ground that the FPAA'S are invalid because, at the time they were issued, there was no acting tax matters partner for either partnership. These petitioners accordingly maintain that the limited partners failed to receive proper notice of the adjustments proposed by respondent, in violation of their due process rights under the Constitution. Alternatively, they contend that the unified partnership audit and litigation procedures of section 6221 et seq. cannot be applied to a partnership that is a debtor in a bankruptcy1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*76 proceeding, and, in any event, that the partnership proceeding in this Court may not go 95 T.C. 51">*56 forward because of the automatic stay imposed by
DISCUSSION
(1)
We first consider the question of whether the partnership action in this Court must be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because the petitions were filed in violation of
(a) * * * a petition filed under section 301, 302, or 303 of this title * * * operates as a stay, applicable to all entities, of --
* * * *
(8) the commencement or continuation of a proceeding before the United States Tax Court
If this provision applies to these proceedings, then all of the petitions must be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, since the petitions were filed after the automatic stay went into effect on May 29, 1986, the date1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*77 the bankruptcies of the partnerships commenced.
Respondent contends that since a partnership itself has no tax liability, a proceeding in this Court for redetermination of partnership items does not "concern the debtor" in the case of a partnership in bankruptcy. Therefore, he argues, the commencement or continuation of partnership proceedings in this Court is not stayed. We agree.
Clearly, the effect of the automatic stay provisions is a question of bankruptcy law. See
In light of the foregoing authority, there is no reason why a partnership proceeding in the Tax Court should be stayed, since it ultimately affects only the tax liability of individual partners. The purpose of a partnership proceeding in the Tax Court is to redetermine the adjustments to a partnership's return determined in an FPAA. Ultimately, however, it is the tax liability of the individual partners which is affected by the redetermination of the adjustments to the return of the partnership. To argue that the partnership proceeding requires the Tax Court to make determinations with respect to the items of income, gain, loss, or credit of the partnership, rather than the individual partners, and that a partnership proceeding involving a bankrupt partnership thus "concerns" the partnership, not the partners, is to exalt form over substance.
In contrast, a bankruptcy court lacks jurisdiction to determine the tax liability of nondebtor partners for the activities of a debtor partnership or to determine the tax consequences of the partnership's activities.
On appeal, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the District Court correctly concluded that it lacked bankruptcy jurisdiction, rejecting the contention of the appellants that
There is no doubt that the enactment of the unified partnership audit and litigation procedures has changed the process by which partnership adjustments are reviewed. Even under pre-TEFRA law, however, the starting point in determining a deficiency against an individual partner was the examination of the partnership return. Any adjustments made to the partnership return would be reflected in adjustments to the partner's individual return, and a notice of deficiency would be issued to the partner. Upon the filing of a petition in response1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*82 to the notice of deficiency, we would review the adjustments made at the partnership level in our redetermination of the deficiency of the individual partner. It has not been suggested nor is there any authority under pre-TEFRA law to the effect that the bankruptcy of a partnership precluded an individual partner from filing a petition in the Tax Court. We see no reason for a different rule simply because adjustments to a 95 T.C. 51">*59 partnership return are now redetermined in a unified proceeding binding on all partners who are parties.
We also note that, under the statute and our Rules, it is not the partnership, but the partner filing a petition in the Tax Court, who is the petitioner. See
Section 6213(f) provides that the running of the time for filing a petition in the Tax Court for the redetermination of a deficiency is suspended for the period during which a debtor in bankruptcy is prohibited from filing a Tax Court petition and for 60 days thereafter.
No provision similar to section 6213(f) exists with respect to the TEFRA partnership rules.
In holding as we do, we have not overlooked competing considerations which favor the stay of proceedings outside the bankruptcy court. For example, competition between 95 T.C. 51">*60 the two forums for records and documents of the partnership could occur. We are satisfied, however, that such considerations are secondary in light of the nature of the proceeding in this Court; i.e., that its ultimate purpose is to redetermine the tax liabilities of the individual partners.
For the above reasons, we hold that neither the commencement nor the continuation of these proceedings is affected by
(2)
The respective 5-percent groups contend that this Court lacks jurisdiction because the FPAA's issued to WROG and 1983 WROG are invalid. According to these petitioners, the TEFRA unified partnership audit and litigation procedures, section 6221 et seq., 1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*85 do not apply to a partnership in bankruptcy. Petitioners argue that the legislative history of section 1399 3 indicates that the trustee in bankruptcy of a partnership is the person required to file the partnership's return. Therefore, petitioners argue on brief, the bankruptcy trustee "becomes the person acting in a representative capacity for the partnership, thereby replacing the TMP as the fiduciary for the partnership." Since the bankruptcy trustee cannot qualify as tax matters partner under
The generic FPAA's mailed to Tax Matters Partner, Western Reserve Oil & Gas Co., Ltd., and Tax Matters Partner, 1983 Western Reserve Oil & Gas Co., Ltd., were valid under the TEFRA partnership provisions. An FPAA may be mailed1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*86 to "Tax Matters Partner" at the business address of the partnership. Sec. 301.6223(a)-1T(a)(1), Temporary Proced. & Admin. Regs.,
Petitioners cite no authority for the proposition that the bankruptcy trustee of a partnership replaces the tax matters partner or assumes the duties of a tax matters partner 95 T.C. 51">*61 during the pendency of the bankruptcy. Furthermore, we have held that an FPAA is valid if mailed to "Tax Matters Partner" at the address of the partnership, even where no tax matters partner in fact existed on the date the FPAA was mailed.
We next consider respondent's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. Respondent's primary contention is that the petitions filed by Shaffer should be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction since they were not filed by the tax matters partner of WROG and 1983 WROG. If his motion is granted with respect to the petitions filed by Shaffer, respondent concedes that one of the petitions filed by the 5-percent group with respect to each partnership is valid.
The order of the District Court appointing Shaffer receiver of the partnerships is limited. The order empowers Shaffer to perform the duties of a tax matters partner for WROG and 1983 WROG only in proceedings before the Internal Revenue Service or other tax or administrative agency. The Tax Court is a judicial body, not a tax "agency" or an administrative agency. See
Neither was Shaffer otherwise qualified by statute to file a readjustment petition.
The statutory provisions are clear and unambiguous: a tax matters partner designated by the partnership or identified pursuant to the largest-profits-interest rule must be a general partner in the partnership. If the partnership does not designate a tax matters1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*89 partner and the Commissioner determines that it is inappropriate to apply the largest-profits-interest rule, then the tax matters partner shall be the partner selected as such by the Commissioner.
This Court does not have jurisdiction to consider a petition filed by a person or entity not qualified by law.
The parties agree that only one petition filed by a 5-percent group may go forward with respect to each limited partnership under
The WROG 5-percent group filed petitions at docket Nos. 17703-87, 17441-87, and 18596-87. Docket No. 17703-87 was prematurely filed on the 90th day after mailing of the FPAA (June 11, 1987) and must be dismissed.
We have already held that one of the petitions filed with respect1990 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 68">*92 to the FPAA issued to 1983 WROG must be dismissed because it was not filed by the tax matters partner. Two other petitions were filed with respect to that FPAA, both of which were filed within the period specified in
Petitioners comprising the respective 5-percent groups have moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction on the ground that the FPAA's issued to WROG and 1983 WROG were invalid because at the time the notices were issued there was no acting tax matters partner for either partnership. According to petitioners, the unified partnership audit and litigation procedures of section 6221 et seq. cannot apply unless there is an acting tax matters partner to provide the notice to other partners required by the statute and the
Valid petitions have been filed in the Tax Court with respect to the FPAA's issued to WROG and 1983 WROG for their taxable year 1983. Under
95 T.C. 51">*65
1. The following cases are consolidated herewith: 1983 Western Reserve Oil & Gas Co., Ltd., Notice Partner and All Members of the 5-Percent Notice Group (Exhibit 1), Partners Other Than Tax Matters Partner, docket Nos. 18853-87, 27014-87; Western Reserve Oil & Gas Co., Ltd., Notice Partner and All Members of the 5-Percent Notice Group (Exhibit 1), Partners Other Than Tax Matters Partner, docket Nos. 17741-87, 17703-87, 18596-87; and Western Reserve Oil & Gas Co., Ltd., Richard G. Shaffer, Receiver Pendente Lite, docket No. 18039-87.↩
2.
Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, [a bankruptcy court] may determine the amount or legality of any tax, any fine or penalty relating to a tax, or any addition to tax, whether or not previously assessed, whether or not paid, and whether or not contested before and adjudicated by a judicial or administrative tribunal of competent jurisdiction.↩
3. S. Rept. 96-1035 (1980),