*1 In- dеciding the case. dispute essential under the “ori- is irrelevant or motive
tent origin test. of the claim”
gin Ledger’s protection was the
litigation of “earn- “siphoning” from the
investment Funds.
ings” by the trustees
short, wholly failed to the Government origin a nexus between
demonstrate Repub- acquisition of litigation
(cid:127)the
lican; litiga- show without facts to integral part purchase anwas stock, were litigation of that costs 162. deductible under Section
properly granted. properly
Summary judgment
Affirmed. INC.,
AQUA LOUNGE, BAR &
Appellant, of America DEPART
UNITED STATES OF TREASURY INTERNAL
MENT Joseph B. SERVICE and
REVENUE
Saltz. 75-2125.
No. Appeals, Court of
Third Circuit.
Argued March July
Decided *2 Curran,
Robert E. J. U. Atty., Gary S. Tilles, Atty., Asst. U. S. Scott P. Crampton, Gen., Asst. Atty. Andrews, Gilbert E. Elmer J. Kelsey, Heller, F. Arnold Attys., Tax Div., Justice, Dept, of Washington, C.,D. for appellees. SEITZ,
Before Judge, Chief and RO- GARTH, SENN and Judges. Circuit OPINION OF THE COURT SEITZ, Judge. Chief This appeal raises the issue of whether a taxpayer whose property has been seized and sold by the federal non-payment of federal taxes thereaft- bring er the United States to quiet title to that same property provided that he refrains contesting from the merits of the underlying tax assessment itself. Plaintiff, Aqua Lounge, Bar & Inc. (“plaintiff”) was the owner of a restaurant liquor license Pennsylvania issued Liquor Control Board. January On 1975,the (“IRS”), Internal Revenue Service pursuing non-judicial remedies available it, issued a notice of seizure of plaintiff’s property rights in this pursuant non-рayment U.S.C. 6331for of federal employment Thereafter, taxes. is- IRS sued a notice of plaintiff’s sealed bid sale of property rights liquor in the license under of 26 U.S.C. 6335. The license was ultimately purchased by the de- Joseph fendant Saltz. brought
Plaintiff then
this action in the
district
court
the United States and
seeking
Saltz
to have the seizure and subse-
quent sale of its license declared null and
void on
grounds: (1)
that the IRS had
power
6331;
to seize the license under §
(2)
that the IRS had failed to comply
procedures
with the
for salе set forth in
addition,
6335. In
requested
prelimi-
nary injunction restraining
peti-
Saltz from
tioning the Pennsylvania Liquor Control
Board to transfer
the license from the
Pa.,
Lapowsky, Philadelphia,
ap- plaintiff
Abe
to himself.
plaintiff
pellant.
did not challenge
of the under-
personal
real or
nonpayment
property on
tax assessment
lying
and sale of its
in the seizure
or claims
had resulted
mortgage
Finally, plaintiff
or other lien.”
the Anti-Injunction
maintains that neither
motion of the United
Upon
Declaratory
Act nor
Judgement
motiоn for
plaintiff’s
denied
district
*3
operates
deprive a
to
federal court of its
injunction and dismissed its
preliminary
jurisdiction
1340
under
and 2410 when
government
the
as
both
complaint
the taxpayer
merely challenges
involved
the
The
jurisdiction.
of
for lack
and Saltz
validity
a tax lien for
comply
of
failure to
complaint sought,
the
reasoned that
court
with statutory requirements and refrains
essence,
declaratory judgment
“with
in
from contesting
underly-
the merits of the
which the court
to Federal taxes”
respect
ing tаx assessment itself.
under the
power
grant
no
to
Declarato-
had
-
The
Act,
government
In
Judgment
agrees
§
U.S.C.
that
ry
is
§
addition,
possible
in-
jurisdictional
the court determined that
the
basis for this action.
Anti-Injunc- However,
maintains,
the
by
stant action was barred
and the district
Act,
7421(a),
found,
court
prohib-
which
that even assuming
tion
U.S.C.
that
this
§
may
suit
seeking to restrain “the assess-
be treated as an
quiet
its a suit
action to
title,
any
Finally,
2410(a)(1)
tax.”
or collection of
lift the bar of
ment
Judgment
sovereign
Declaratory
immunity
the
and
in
apart from
cases where a tax-
Acts,
payer
seized,
court
Anti-Injunction
the
held
has
as
been
opposed
party
maintained because
to a third
an
suit could not be
who claims
the
interest
property, brings
had not waived its sover-
in that
the United States
addition,
to
the
immunity
it. This
United
it contends
eign
States.
that the
correctly
district court
determined
followed.
appeal
Anti-Injunction
that both the
and Declara-
Characterizing its suit as one to
tory Judgment
prohibit
Acts
this suit.
which the
title to
on
United
quiet
lien,
asserts that the
turn first
to
plaintiff
question
has
We
the
whether,
allegations
jurisdiction
hear this
based on the
contained
had
district
in
in the complaint,
may
under 28
combina
this suit
be treated as
action
U.S.C. §
2410(a)(1).
an
quiet
with 28
action to
title to
on which
tion
Section
grants
the
the Judicial
the federal
has a lien. We think that
1340 of
Code
question
this
“original jurisdiction
any
courts
must be answered in the aff
district
any
of Con
the time of the
arising
proceedings
irmative.1 At
civil
below,
plain
internal
revenue.”
title to the license
in
gress providing for
remained
tiff’s
the records
Clearly,
Pennsylva
a suit which contests
name on
addition,
Liquor
falls
its
nia
Board.
nei
tax
and sale
within
Control
a federal
lien
Coson,
physi
ther the
had
v.
nor Saltz
obtained
United States
IRS
terms. See
1961).
gen
possession
cal
of the license document as it
(9th Cir.
This
F.2d
455-56
not,
jurisdiction
plain
safekeeping
Liquor
in the
does
remained
grant
eral
in Harrisburg.
a waiver
sover Control Board’s offices
Cer
recognizes,
tiff
constitute
tainly,
lien
the tax
asserted
immunity by the United States.
both
eign
(E.D.
government
the sale
license to
F.Supp. 718
Pa.
and
Quinn v.
Saltz,
invalid,
if
would cast clouds on
1964), aff’d
case.
Aqua Bar
Lounge,
Bar)
&
Inc. (Aqua
has
judgment
of the district court will
sought
a declaration that
the seizure and
vacated and this case remandеd for further
liquor
of its
license
the defendant
proceedings
opin-
not inconsistent with this
United States was unlawful under 26 U.S.C.
6331,
ion.
6335.2 The
uncontested allegations
provides
pertinent part:
1. 28
sale of such
is to be conducted.
pertinent part
requires:
§ 6335
original juris-
The district courts shall have
any
any
arising
(a)
diction of
civil action
practicable
.
.
. As soon as
after
Congress providing
Act of
property,
for internal
reve-
writing
seizure of
notice in
shall be
given by
Secretary
nue
.
the
....
Such no-
specify
tice shall
the sum dеmanded and
provides
levy
2. Section 6331
for a
and distraint
contain,
personal
shall
proper-
in the case of
to effect the collection of taxes. Section ty,
an account
seized
describes the manner in which the seizure and
reports,
permit
House and Senate
“is to
at the time
indicate that
complaint
to be made a
the United States
the IRS sale
commenced
this suit
involving foreclosure
defendant
in cases
already
had
been
to defendant Saltz
mortgages
persоnal proper-
or liens on
Thus,
clear to me
quite
it is
consummated.
provide a method to clear real
ty and to
has seized
the United States
that where
or valueless
questionable
estate titles of
license there
liquor
plaintiff’s
sold the
then
passage
Its
was rec-
Government liens.”
which the United
property “on
can be
by Attorney
ommended
General Jackson
mortgage
or other
has or claims
good
purchasers
faith
protect
in order to
added.)
28 U.S.C.
(Emphasis
lien.”
foreclosing mortgagees.
of real estate and
2410(a)(1).
(Footnotes omitted.)
Moreover,
history of
legislative
Coson,
also United
286 F.2d
inapplicable
it is
2410(a)(1) indicates
453,
(9th
1961). Quinn
involved an
Quinn
here.
presented
to the situation
assessment,
the merits of a tax
upon
attack
(E.D.Pa.1964),
upon
any
not
the seizure and sale of
1965), District
aff’d
However, the
property.
discussion
Freedman,
examining
legis-
after
Judge
legislative history in
conflicts with
2410, explained:
history of
lative
the conclusion reached
the majority
the Government
By
provision
this
Nothing
here.3
in the words of the statute
any
“in
civil action
to be sued
consented
legislative history
or the
indicates that
court,
any
district
or
any
or suit in
2410(a)(1), which
only
purpose
serves
of the sub-
having jurisdiction
State
quiet
a vehicle to
title of
providing
prop-
matter,
title to or for the
ject
erty where the United States has or claims
mortgage or other lien
of a
foreclosure
mortgage,
applicable
a lien or
where an
personal property on which
upon real or
upon
attаck has been made
the seizure and
has or claims a mort-
the United States
sale of
not until 1942
lien.” It was
gage
Nor are
remedy
quieting
title
the cases cited
majority convincing
availability
which theretofore
as to the
to the statute
added
presented
of a
in the circumstances
only
with the foreclosure
had dealt
v, Eberlain,
Popp
on
on
here.
Aqua Saltz, pur- defendant relief
tive court held The district license. of its
chaser Statute, 26 U.S.C. Anti-Injunction that the enjoin power it of 7421(a), divested transfer for a application Saltz’s majori- name. Like to his liquor LESLIE CO. that conclusion. with agree not ty I do except in certain 7421(a) provides, Section OF INTERNAL COMMISSIONER are not relevant circumstances special REVENUE, Appellant. here, that of re- purpose suit for the . no No. 75-2305. or collection
straining the assessment Appeals, Court of any tax shall be maintained Third Circuit. per- or not person, whether by any such tax against whom person son is Argued 3,May was assessed. Decided July has stated Supreme Court Anti-Injunction Statute: 7421(a) is to purpose manifest to assess permit be due without alleged to
collect intervention, require
judicial disputed sums legal right In this a suit for refund.
determined is assured the United States
manner revenue. of its lawful collection
prompt omitted.)
(Footnote Co., Packing 370 U.S.
Enochs v. Williams (1962). 1125, 1129, 8 L.Ed.2d 82 S.Ct. dispute the Aqua Bar Rather, Bar seeks to Aqua
tax assessment. liquor license
enjoin the transfer seized and improperly allegedly Revenue Internal
sold in violation
