Opinion

Larson v. Commissioner

  • 66 T.C. 159
  • 1976 U.S. Tax Ct. LEXIS 118
Court
United States Tax Court
Filed
Apr 27, 1976
Status
Published
Author
Drennen
On the bench
Tannenwald,Fay,Hall,Dawson,Featherston,Irwin,Goffe,Wiles,Goffe,Featherston,Wiles,Raum,Drennen,Simpson,Drennen,Sterrett,Raum,Simpson,Drennen,Sterrett,Quealy
Cited by
14 cases
Authority
More cited than 10.3%

The opinion

Drennen, J., dissenting: In my opinion the limited partnership in which petitioner was a member more nearly resembled a corporation than a. partnership under the criteria established in Morrissey v. Commissioner, 296 U.S. 344 (1935), and other cases, whether the characteristics are scrutinized under the regulations or without them.

Since neither party argued the invalidity of the regulations 1 and the case was presented on the basis that it would be decided under the regulations, I would reach the conclusion stated above on the reasoning of Judge Simpson in his dissenting opinion, with which I agree. However, I have considerable doubts concerning the validity of the regulations, for the reasons stated by Judge Quealy in his dissenting opinion, which I would voice under other circumstances. I doubt that the rules supplied by the Treasury Department for the application and enforcement of the law are “within the permissible bounds of administrative construction.” Morrissey v. Commissioner, supra. See Kurzner v. United States, 413 F.2d 97 (5th Cir. 1969).

Sterrett, J, agrees with this dissent. It is understandable why the case was presented in this manner. The regulations help petitioners’ argument and respondent would be reluctant to argue the invalidity of the Treasury regulations. However, the validity of the regulations may properly be considered, for, as stated in Wilkes-Barre Carriage Co., 39 T.C. 839 , affd. 332 F.2d 421 (2d Cir. 1964), atp. 846:

“However, the rule is well established that a deficiency may be approved on the basis of reasons other than those relied ori by the Commissioner or even where his reasons may be incorrect.” [Citations omitted.]

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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