2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*77 Respondent's motion for partial summary judgment granted. Judgment entered for respondent.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
CHIECHI, Judge: This case is before the Court on respondent's motion for partial summary judgment (respondent's motion). We shall grant respondent's motion.
Background
The record establishes and/or the parties do not dispute the following.
Petitioner resided in Chicago, Illinois, at the time he filed the petition in this case.
On July 14, 1993, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of deficiency (July 14, 1993 notice) with respect to his taxable years 1987, 1988, and 1989, which he received. In that notice, respondent determined a deficiency in, and additions under
Petitioner did not file a petition in the Court with respect to the July 14, 1993 notice relating to his taxable years 1987, 1988, and 1989.
On February 7, 1994, respondent assessed petitioner's tax, as well as additions to tax and interest as provided by law, for his taxable year 1987. (We shall refer to those assessed amounts, as well as interest2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*78 as provided by law accrued after February 7, 1994, as petitioner's unpaid liability for 1987.)
On February 7, 1994, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of balance due with respect to petitioner's unpaid liability for 1987. On March 14, 1994, respondent issued a second notice of balance due with respect to such unpaid liability.
On February 21, 1994, respondent assessed petitioner's tax, as well as any penalties and interest as provided by law, for each of his taxable years 1988 and 1989. (We shall refer to those assessed amounts, as well as interest as provided by law accrued after February 21, 1994, as petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1988 and 1989.)
On February 21, 1994, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of balance due with respect to petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1988 and 1989. On March 28, 1994, respondent issued a second notice of balance due with respect to each such unpaid liability.
On July 31, 1997, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of deficiency (July 31, 1997 notice) with respect to his taxable years 1993, 1994, and 1995, which he received. In that notice, respondent determined a deficiency in, 2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*79 and additions to tax under
Petitioner did not file a petition in the Court with respect to the July 31, 1997 notice relating to his taxable years 1993, 1994, and 1995. Instead, on September 9, 1997, in response to the July 31, 1997 notice, petitioner sent a letter (petitioner's September 9, 1997 letter) to the Internal Revenue Service that contained statements, contentions, arguments, and requests that the Court finds to be frivolous and/or groundless. 2
On March 27, 1998, respondent assessed petitioner's tax, as well as additions to tax and interest as2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*80 provided by law, for each of his taxable years 1993, 1994, and 1995. (We shall refer to those assessed amounts, as well as interest as provided by law accrued after March 27, 1998, as petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1993, 1994, and 1995.)
On March 27, 1998, respondent issued to petitioner a notice of balance due with respect to petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1993, 1994, and 1995.
On December 16, 1999, respondent issued to petitioner a final notice of intent to levy and notice of your right to a hearing (notice of intent to levy) with respect to (1) petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1995 and (2) a frivolous return penalty under
Type Period Assessed Statutory
of Tax Ending Balance Additions Total
______ ______ ________ _________ ______
1040A 12-31-1987 $ 7,777.54 $ 5,939.64 $ 13,717.18
1040A 2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*81 12-31-1988
1040A 12-31-1989
1040A 12-31-1993
1040A 12-31-1994
1040A 12-31-1995
Civ. pen. 12-31-1995 500.00 30.92 530.92
Civ. pen. 12-31-1996 500.00 30.92 530.92
In response to the notice of intent to levy, petitioner submitted more than one Form 12153, Request for a Collection Due Process Hearing (Form 12153), and requested a hearing with respondent's Appeals Office (Appeals Office). 3 Petitioner attached a document to each of his Forms 12153 (collectively, petitioner's attachments to Forms 12153) that contained statements, contentions, arguments, and requests that the Court finds to be frivolous and/or groundless. 4
2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*82 Respondent did not hold an Appeals Office hearing with petitioner. That is because the Appeals officer determined that the matters advanced in petitioner's attachments to Forms 12153 did not require respondent to hold a hearing to discuss those matters. The Appeals officer did advise petitioner in a letter (Appeals officer's September 5, 2000 letter) that she was willing to examine any information that petitioner wished to submit showing that petitioner is not liable for the unpaid liabilities at issue, requesting an installment agreement, or requesting an offer in compromise. Petitioner did not provide any information in response to the Appeals officer's September 5, 2000 letter.
On March 22, 2001, the Appeals Office issued to petitioner a notice of determination concerning collection action(s) under
MATTERS CONSIDERED AT THE APPEALS HEARING
Applicable Law and Administrative Procedures
o With the best information2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*83 available, the requirements of
various applicable law and administrative procedures have been
met.
o
notify a taxpayer at least 30 days before a Notice of Levy can
be issued. A transcript of your account verifies that this
notice was issued.
o
be made unless the IRS notifies a taxpayer of the opportunity
for a hearing with the IRS Office of Appeals. This notice was
sent to you via certified mail.
o You were given the opportunity to raise any relevant issue
relating to the unpaid tax or the Notice of Intention to Levy
in accordance with
o This Appeals Officer has had no prior involvement with respect
to these liabilities.
Relevant Issues Presented by the Taxpayer
o You contend that you are not liable for tax and you don't owe
anything because you are not a taxpayer2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*84 and therefore, not
required to file.
o You also stated that you never received the statutory notice
and demand for payment nor did you receive a (valid) notice of
deficiency.
o You failed to raise any issues that could be considered in a
due process hearing pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section
6330. Our review of your file indicates a hearing is not
available for constitutional issues such as those referenced
in your reply to the final notice.
o You can not challenge the tax liabilities for 1987, 1988,
1989,
a deficiency notice. You did not avail yourself of the
opportunity to file a petition for redetermination with the
court.
o Appeals believes that you are liable for the income tax
liabilities for tax years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994 and
1995 in accordance with the law.
Balancing Efficient Collection and Intrusiveness
o It is Appeal's determination that the proposed collection
action is proper and should2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*85 be pursued as was recommended by
Collection for the income tax liability.
o It is Appeals determination that normal collection activity
balances efficient collection with any concerns you may have
regarding the intrusiveness of the action.
On April 23, 2001, the date on which petitioner filed the petition in this case, petitioner filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction (petitioner's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction) on the ground that the Appeals Office did not hold a hearing with him.
On December 18, 2001, the Court issued an Order denying petitioner's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. That was because, after petitioner filed petitioner's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, the Court overruled
On December 2, 2002, respondent's counsel provided petitioner with Form 4340, Certificate of Assessments, Payments, and Other Specified Matters (Form 4340), 2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*86 with respect to each of his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996.
Discussion
Jurisdictional Matter
Respondent submitted to the Court a document entitled "MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT", which the Court had filed as respondent's motion for partial summary judgment. The Court had that document filed as a motion for partial summary judgment because it asked the Court for a summary adjudication in respondent's favor only as to petitioner's taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1995. However, the notice of determination pertains to petitioner's taxable year 1996 as well as his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
In a supplement to respondent's motion (respondent's supplement) that the Court ordered respondent to file, respondent explained that the notice of determination insofar as it pertains to petitioner's taxable year 1996 relates only to a frivolous return penalty under
The Court does not have jurisdiction over a frivolous return penalty under
Respondent's Motion
The Court may grant summary judgment where there is no genuine issue of material fact and a decision may be rendered as a matter of law.
Where, as is the case here, the validity of the underlying2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*88 tax liability is not properly placed at issue, the Court will review the determination of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for abuse of discretion.
As was true of petitioner's September 9, 1997 letter and petitioner's attachments to Forms 12153, petitioner's response to respondent's motion (petitioner's response) contains contentions, arguments, and requests that the Court finds to be frivolous and/or groundless. 6
Based upon our examination of the entire record before us, 2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*89 we find that respondent did not abuse respondent's discretion in determining to proceed with the collection action as determined in the notice of determination with respect to petitioner's unpaid liability for each of his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
Although respondent does not ask the Court to impose a penalty on petitioner under
In
In the instant case, petitioner advances, we believe primarily for delay, frivolous and/or groundless contentions, arguments, and requests, thereby causing the Court to waste its limited resources. We shall impose a penalty on petitioner pursuant to
We have considered all of petitioner's contentions, arguments, and requests that are not discussed herein, and we find them to be without merit and/or irrelevant. 8
2003 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 77">*91 On the record before us, we shall grant respondent's motion.
To reflect the foregoing,
An appropriate order and decision will be entered for respondent.
1. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect at all relevant times. All Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩
2. Petitioner's September 9, 1997 letter is the type of letter that is similar to the types of letters that certain other taxpayers with cases in the Court sent to the Internal Revenue Service in response to the notices issued to them. See, e.g.,
3. Petitioner submitted three Forms 12153. On Dec. 29, 1999, petitioner submitted Form 12153 with respect to his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996. On Mar. 2, 2000, the Appeals Office returned that form because it lacked an original signature. On Mar. 21, 2000, respondent received a second Form 12153, with petitioner's original signature, with respect to his taxable years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996. On June 12, 2000, petitioner sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service and attached to that letter, inter alia, a third Form 12153 with respect to his taxable years 1994 and 1996.↩
4. Petitioner's attachments to Forms 12153 contained statements, contentions, arguments, and requests that are similar to the statements, contentions, arguments, and requests contained in the attachment to Forms 12153 filed with the Internal Revenue Service by certain other taxpayers with cases in the Court. See, e.g.,
5. The Court will recharacterize respondent's motion for partial summary judgment as a motion for summary judgment.↩
6. The contentions, arguments, and requests set forth in petitioner's response are similar to the contentions, arguments, and requests set forth in responses by certain other taxpayers with cases in the Court to motions for summary judgment and to impose a penalty under
7. In an Order dated Jan. 10, 2003, in response to respondent's motion for protective order, the Court reminded petitioner about
8. We shall, however, address one of petitioner's allegations in the petition. Petitioner alleges in the petition that the Court should order respondent to hold an Appeals Office hearing with him. Respondent acknowledges that, pursuant to Internal Revenue Manual 8.7.2.3.3(5) d, respondent's Appeals Office should have held a hearing with petitioner. However, relying on