Mid-South Music Corp. v. Kolak
Concurring in Part
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I agree with the majority’s decision to remand the case as it relates to the defendant United States and the exceptions to the non-disclosure provisions of 26 U.S.C. § 6103. However, I believe that the actions of the individual defendants impinged upon plaintiff’s constitutional liberty interest to operate a business without arbitrary interference. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.
The record in this case discloses that the issue as to whether Mid-South was in fact operating an abusive tax shelter had not been officially determined by the agency. Despite this critical omission, IRS personnel unilaterally concluded that Mid-South’s tax promotion was not legitimate, and arbitrarily notified all of Mid-South’s clients of this determination, thus virtually destroying Mid-South’s business. The defendant’s action in posting the pre-filing letters becomes all the more capricious when viewed in light of the facts that (1) Mid-South was neither notified of the IRS’ intent to mail the notices nor given the opportunity to defend its promotion, and (2) that no statutes or regulations enacted pursuant thereto authorized the IRS to implement such unilateral action. To the contrary, regulations enacted subsequent to the Mid-South incident mandate notification of the tax shelter promoter at the initial stages of the investigation, and provide numerous opportunities for the promoter to defend his activity. See Internal Revenue News Release IR-83-129 (October 19, 1983). In sum, it is clear that the arbitrary and capricious actions of the IRS’ agents in the instant case were in direct contravention of Mid-South’s liberty interest to operate its business free of such interference as recognized by this circuit in Sanderson v. Village of Greenhills, 726 F.2d 284, 287 (6th Cir. 1984) (per curiam).
Thus, I would remand with instructions to the district court to analyze Mid-South’s fifth amendment due process claim against the individual defendants in light of plaintiff's constitutional liberty interest.
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff Mid-South Music Corporation, appeals from the District Court's dismissal of its suit against the United States and various officials of the Internal Revenue Service seeking compensatory and punitive damages for alleged violation of its statutory and constitutional rights. The alleged violations arose from a pre-filing letter sent by IRS officials in Nashville to investors in a tax shelter marketed by Mid-South, informing them that based on IRS review of Mid-South “purported tax deductions” from that investment would not be allowed and investors claiming such deductions would be subject to penalties. In its second amended complaint, plaintiff claims that this letter caused the destruction of its business and loss of income, depriving it of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s requirement of due process. In addition, Mid-South argues that this letter revealed its identity as a taxpayer and the fact that it was subject to IRS audit, thereby disclosing tax return information in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 6103.
The District Court correctly dismissed the constitutional claim against the United States and. the individual defend
... although the Congressional restriction to postenforcement review may place an organization claiming tax-exempt status in a precarious financial position, the problems presented do not rise to the level of constitutional infirmities, in light of the powerful governmental interests in protecting the administration of the tax system from premature judicial interference ... and of the opportunities for review that are available.
416 U.S. 725, 747-748, 94 S.Ct. at 2051-2052.
Our conclusion is buttressed by the fact that the causal connection between the IRS’s actions and the alleged business injury is attenuated. Here, there was no IRS action directly depriving the plaintiffs of property. Accord Investment Annuity, Inc. v. Blumenthal, 609 F.2d 1, 7 (D.C.Cir. 1979).
On the issue of an alleged violation of the non-disclosure provisions in 26 U.S.C. § 6103, we affirm the District Court’s decision that under 26 U.S.C. § 7431(a)(1)
At oral hearing defendants argued that the pre-filing letter’s legality might be saved under section 6103(e)(7) and perhaps other subsections which create exceptions to the non-disclosure provision, allowing disclosure to certain authorized persons. However, this issue was not presented to
We therefore affirm the District Court’s judgment dismissing both the constitutional and statutory claims against the individual defendants, and the constitutional claim against the United States as a party defendant. We remand to the District Court for reconsideration of the statutory claim against the United States under 26 U.S.C. § 7431(a)(1), and the issue of a possible exception under Section 6103(e)(7) and other similar provisions.
. In relevant part, 26 U.S.C. § 6103 provides:
(a) General rule. — Returns and return information shall be confidential, and except as authorized by. this title—
(1) no officer or employee of the United States, shall disclose any return or return information obtained by him ...
(b) Definitions. — For purposes of this section
(2) Return information. — The term "return information” means—
(A) a taxpayer's identity, the nature, source, or amount of his income, payments, receipts, deductions, exemptions, credits, assets, liabilities, net worth, tax liability, tax withheld, deficiencies, overassessments, or tax payments, whether the taxpayer's return was, is being, or will be examined or subject to other investigation or processing, or any other data, received by, recorded by, prepared by, furnished to, or collected by the Secretary with respect to a return or with respect to the determination of the existence, or possible existence, of liability (or the amount thereof) of any person under this title for any tax, penalty, interest, fine, forfeiture, or other offense____
. 26 U.S.C. § 7431(a)(1) provides:
"If any officer or employee of the United States knowingly, or by reason of negligence, discloses any return or return information with respect to a taxpayer in violation of any provision of section 6103, such taxpayer may bring a civil action for damages against the United States in a district court of the United States."
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MID-SOUTH MUSIC CORPORATION v. Alvin H. KOLAK, Sid Wissand, Harvey Haskins, Rose Baumgarter, Chris Workman, Charles Stamphill, Bruce Thomas, Darrell Hall, Roy Oakes, Tommy Kain, and the United States of America
- Cited By
- 21 cases
- Status
- Published