Wilson & Co. v. United States
Wilson & Co. v. United States
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Supreme Court was delivered by
as follows:
Petitioners are corporations engaged in the preparation, packing, and sale of meat products in foreign and domestic
The single question presented is whether the Court of Claims was without jurisdiction of petitioners’ suits. We hold that it was.
Title VII conditions payment of refunds upon proof that the claimant actually bore the burden of the tax sought to be refunded or that he unconditionally repaid it to Ms vendee who bore the burden. Since petitioners do not allege satisfaction of these conditions it is plain that they do not claim under Title VII. Indeed, they disown any attempt to bring their claims within its provisions.
Title IV provides for refunds to exporters of products upon which processing or floor stock taxes have been paid. It is true that Section 17 (a) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act provided for these refunds before the Act was held unconstitutional in United States v. Butler, 297 U S. 1. Whether petitioners could still establish refund claims under that section if the act had never been invalidated is a question we need not consider. For whatever the effect of that decision on Section 17 (a), Congress expressly made it a part of Title IV by reenacting it in Section 601 (a). 49 Stat. 1648, 1739,
Section 601 (e) of Title IV provides:
“The determination of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue with respect to any refund under this section shall*612 be final and no court shall have jurisdiction to review such determination.”
Petitioners contend that Congress intended to commit to the final determination of the Commissioner only “such matters as findings of fact, computations, and the like.” Quite apart from the fact that in Section 601 (d)
We hold that upon this record the determination of the commissioner is final. Thus we see no occasion to narrow the effect of Section 601 (e). The decision of the Court of Claims .was correct and must be affirmed.
Sec. 601. (a) The provisions oí sections ... 17 (a) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act, as amended, are hereby reenacted but only for the purpose of allowing refunds in accordance therewith in cases where . . . the exportation . . . took place prior to January 6, 1936.
Sec. 601. (d) In the absence of fraud, the findings of fact and the decision of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue upon the merits of any claim adjusted pursuant to this section and the mathematical calculation therein shall not be subject to review by any administrative or accounting officer, employee, or agent of the United States.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WILSON & COMPANY, INC. v. THE UNITED STATES WILSON & COMPANY, INC., OF KANSAS v. THE UNITED STATES T. M. SINCLAIR & CO., LTD. v. United States
- Status
- Published