MEMORANDUM OPINION
RUWE,
This case was set for trial on February 23, 2009. On November 13, 2008, respondent filed a motion for summary judgment (motion) asserting that respondent had not abused his discretion in sustaining the levy and that no genuine issue of material fact remains for adjudication. By order dated November 18, 2008, the Court directed petitioner to file a response to the motion. Petitioner did not file a response addressing the merits of the motion but, instead, requested an additional 120 days to file a response to the motion. The Court denied petitioner's request for additional time to respond and calendared the motion for hearing on February 23, 2009, which was also the date set for trial. Petitioner failed to appear on February 23, 2009.
The 2009 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 164">*165 facts set forth below are based upon examination of the pleadings, moving papers, and attachments.
Petitioner resided in Kentucky at the time the petition was filed.
On August 22, 2005, respondent sent to petitioner, by certified mail, a notice of deficiency in which respondent determined a $ 757 deficiency and a $ 151
On June 12, 2007, respondent sent to petitioner a Letter 1058, Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing, regarding petitioner's unpaid 2003 tax liability. Petitioner responded, submitting to respondent a Form 12153, Request for a Collection Due Process or Equivalent Hearing, wherein he requested an installment agreement as a collection alternative. By letter dated October 4, 2007, Settlement Officer Veronica Smith (SO Smith) advised petitioner that his hearing request had been received, that the hearing was set for November 6, 2007, and that he had to complete 2009 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 164">*166 Form 433-A, Collection Information Statement for Wage Earners and Self-Employed Individuals, and submit yet unfiled tax returns for 2000 and 2004 within 14 days of the letter in order for her to consider collection alternatives.
At the hearing SO Smith was unable to consider collection alternatives because petitioner neither completed Form 433-A nor submitted tax returns for 2000 and 2004. During the hearing petitioner attempted to contest underlying tax liabilities for multiple tax periods (including tax year 2003) but was told by SO Smith that he was precluded from raising the underlying tax liability because, as he had admitted to her, he received the notice of deficiency. SO Smith verified that the requirements of applicable law and administrative procedures had been met by verifying that the notice of deficiency for 2003 had been issued; verifying the timeliness of the assessment of the deficiency reflected in the notice; verifying that the period of limitations on collection of the liability had not expired; and verifying that the appropriate collection notices had been sent to petitioner. Following the hearing, respondent sent to petitioner a Notice of Determination Concerning 2009 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 164">*167 Collection Action(s) Under
Petitioner timely filed a petition contesting the notice of determination regarding the unpaid tax and penalty for 2003. In the petition, petitioner indicated that he disputed the amount of tax owed and wanted to present a payment plan.
Summary judgment is intended to expedite litigation and avoid unnecessary and expensive trials. Fla.
Where the validity of the underlying tax liability is properly at issue, the Court will review the matter on a de novo basis.
Respondent's case activity record attached to the motion indicates that petitioner told SO Smith that he had received the notice of deficiency. Although he now contests the underlying tax liability, petitioner has neither denied that he received the notice of deficiency nor denied any other allegations in the motion. Thus we find that petitioner received the notice of deficiency for the tax year 2003 but did not avail himself of the opportunity to file a petition for redetermination with the Court pursuant to
Petitioner presented 2009 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 164">*170 no information on which to base any collection alternatives. Petitioner presented nothing to refute the facts presented in the motion and failed to appear at the time and place which this Court set for hearing on the motion and for trial. Accordingly, no genuine issue remains for trial, and we shall grant the motion.
To reflect the foregoing,
1. Unless otherwise indicated, all section references are to the Internal Revenue Code, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.↩