- 134 - (a) 1983. Petitioner contends that the fact that an earlier audit of petitioner’s and Betsy’s 1983 joint tax return revealed that they overstated their income for that year indicates that petitioner lacked an intent to evade tax for 1983. Respondent contends that because petitioner did not offer any explanation of this audit, it is impossible to draw conclusions from this audit that are relevant to determining petitioner’s intent with respect to the unreported income for 1983. Respondent also contends that the lack of evidence in the record regarding the audit conducted in 1987 should be construed against petitioner. Respondent urges that, under the Wichita Terminal doctrine, petitioner’s failure to offer further evidence of the earlier audit gives rise to the inference that any such evidence would not be favorable to petitioner. See Wichita Terminal Elevator Co. v. Commissioner, 6 T.C. 1158, 1165 (1946), affd. 162 F.2d 513 (10th Cir. 1947). We agree with petitioner’s conclusion. As table 13, supra, shows, petitioner and Betsy reported a joint liability of $160,344 for 1983. In the notice of deficiency in the instant cases, respondent determined a joint tax liability of $138,142--$22,202 less than what petitioner and Betsy reported. In other words, respondent’s determination in the notice of deficiency means that petitioner and Betsy originally overstated their 1983 tax liability by $22,202. As a result of respondent’s concessions (supra note 2), respondent nowPage: Previous 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 Next
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