Billie C. Rager and Wanda L. Rager v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

Nov 5, 1985
84-7785
Versions:

Lead Opinion

GOODWIN, Circuit Judge.

Tаxpayers appeal from an order of the Tax Court which upheld the Commissioner’s findings of deficiency and ordered additions to tax. We affirm, and impose sanctions.

Taxpayers petitioned the Tax Court for review of deficiencies in their income tax plus nеgligence penalties assessed by the Commissioner pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 6653. The deficiencies were based upon the disallowance оf taxpayers’ contributions to the Universal Church of God, a charter church of the Universal Life Church, Inc.

The Tax Court refused to admit, on the grounds of hearsay, two letters which purportedly acknowledged receipt by the parent church of the taxpayers’ contributions. The court also refused to admit copies of receipts which the taxpayers allegedly received from the pаrent church acknowledging their contributions, because taxpayers did not establish a proper foundation for admission of those receipts.

The Tax Court found that the taxpayers had failed to carry their burden of showing that the Commissioner incorrectly disallowеd the deductions, that the Commissioner incorrectly assessed a deficiency or that ‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍the imposition of the addition to tax was in error. The court also held that, because taxpayers should have known that their case was frivolous, a $4,000 penalty was apprоpriate under 26 U.S.C. § 6673.

Contributions to the Universal Life Church are tax deductible under 26 U.S.C. § 170, see Universal Life Church Inc. v. United States, 372 F.Supp. 770 (E.D.Cal.1974), but exemptions for parent churches do not automаtically carry over to local charters. Kalgaard v. C.I.R., 764 F.2d 1322, 1323 (9th Cir.1985); Hall v. C.I.R., 729 F.2d 632, 634 (9th Cir.1984). The copies of checks which taxpayers presented to support their claims of deduction were payable to “Universal Church of God” with the initials “ULC” squeezed onto the same line. The copies showеd only the front and not the back side of the checks. The Tax Court accorded no eviden-*1083tiary weight to the copies of the сhecks. The taxpayers also offered two letters from Universal Life Church officials which acknowledged receipt of taxpayers’ contributions. The letters were written in 1983 although the contributions ‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍were allegedly made in 1980 and 1981. Furthermore, taxpayers’ witness did not have and could not produce church records which could support the letters of receipt. The Tax Court, therefore, properly refused to admit the letters. See Fed.R.Evid. 1006; Kalgaard, 764 F.2d at 1323-24.

Finally, the court refused to admit individual receipts offered as evidence of the contributions because taxpayers’ witness had no personal knowledge of the contents of the receipts.

Given taxpayers’ evidentiаry failures, the Tax Court’s findings that the checks had been altered, and that taxpayers’ contributions were not subject to the control оf the parent church, are not clearly erroneous. Those findings are sufficient to support its conclusion that the taxpayеrs failed to sustain their burden of showing that the Commissioner’s assessment of deficiency was in error. See Tax Court Rule 142(a).

Taxpayers argue that because thе Tax Court is not an Article III court, it cannot have jurisdiction oyer constitutional questions. Taxpayers’ argument is frivolous; we have oftеn upheld Tax Court decisions which were based on a constitutional inquiry. See, e.g., Kalgaard, 764 F.2d at 1324; McCoy v. C.I.R., 696 F.2d 1234, 1236 (9th Cir.1983); Edwards v. C.I.R., 680 F.2d 1268, 1270 (9th Cir.1982). Furthermore, Congress has provided taxpayers with a choicе of forums in which to raise their disputes with the Commissioner. ‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍Taxpayers chose to proceed in Tax Court rather than pay the deficiency assessed and sue in federal district court for a refund. See 26 U.S.C. §§ 7422, 7442.. They cannot now complain about their choice to proсeed in Tax Court.

Taxpayers argue that the imposition of a penalty for a frivolous, meritless petition is an unconstitutional infringement on their First Amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances. But the right to petition protected by the First Amendment does nоt include the right to maintain groundless litigation. See Bill Johnson’s Restaurants, Inc. v. NLRB, 461 U.S. 731, 103 S.Ct. 2161, 2170, 76 L.Ed.2d 277 (1983).

The Commissioner is permitted to impose an addition to tax under 26 U.S.C. §§ 6653(a)(1) and (2) where the Commissioner assesses a deficiency because of taxpayer negligence or willful failure to pay tax. Given the lack of credible еvidence which taxpayers presented here to support their assertion of deductibility of their contributions to Universal Life Church, thе Tax Court was not clearly erroneous in upholding the Commissioner’s assessment of an addition to tax. See Kalgaard, 764 F.2d at 1324.

The Tax Court is also authorized to imрose a penalty for frivolous petitions. 26 U.S.C. § 6673. That court found ‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍the taxpayers’ conduct to be frivolous and vexatious. This court has frequently affirmed such penalties. See Gattuso v. Pecorella, 733 F.2d 709, 710 (9th Cir.1984); McCoy, 696 F.2d at 1235; Edwards, 680 F.2d at 1271. The Tax Court has the power to impose sanctions against willful abuse of the court meant to frustrate tax collection. The court’s judgment is affirmed.

On appeal, the taxpayers’ counsel knew that their position was frivolous. See Larsen v. C.I.R., 765 F.2d 939 (9th Cir.1985); Kalgaard, 764 F.2d at 1324 (same counsel as this case); Hall, 729 F.2d at 633 (same counsel). The Tax Court did not impose sanctions here because of the ineptitude of the pro se litigants. Rather, it imposed sаnctions because the taxpayers abused the court system. Their transparent plan to frustrate the revenue by means of sham charitable deductions justified sanctions, and the appeal justifies further sanctions in this court.

The Commissioner is entitled to double costs ‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍and $1000.00 attorney fees in this *1084court together with the judgment in the Tax Court. The taxpayers and their counsel are jointly and severally liable for the costs and fees on appeal.

Affirmed.





Concurrence Opinion

STEPHENS, District Judge,

specially concurring.

I concur with my collegues in this case as to the result except the provision that the tаxpayer’s attorney should be jointly and severally liable with the taxpayer. Counsel made no effort to mislead the court as to аpplicable law, but rather contended that the facts were sufficiently difficult to merit a different result. We decided that there was nо substantial difference. It is not wholly inappropriate to leave this decision to judicial determination. The appellatе court has ample means, which are often employed, to avoid imposition on the court’s time without imposing a penalty. The simplest is to decide the case without oral argument.

I would rest my decision as to the jurisdiction of the tax court to decide cоnstitutional cases on the authority cited. No collateral support is necessary. Furthermore, a taxpayer’s oppоrtunity to choose to go either to the tax court or to the District Court is not always a free choice. It frequently depends upоn whether the taxpayer can afford to pay the tax and then litigate. Unless he can, he must choose the tax court. I agree with the opinion not because he has a choice of courts but because the tax court has the requisite jurisdiction.