- 26 - any evidence otherwise discoverable merely because it is presented in the course of compromise negotiations. This rule also does not require exclusion when the evidence is offered for another purpose, such as prov- ing bias or prejudice of a witness, negativing a con- tention of undue delay, or proving an effort to ob- struct a criminal investigation or prosecution. Respondent argues that the bankruptcy stipulation is ev- idence of a compromise by the United States in Mr. Kayian, Jr.'s bankruptcy proceeding, which petitioners in the instant cases want to use to establish that respondent's determinations against them are not valid. Consequently, according to respondent, that evidence is inadmissible under FRE 408. Petitioners argue that FRE 408 "does not apply to final judgments in judicial proceedings" and that "because stipulations entered in prior court proceedings have the preclusive effect of final judgments, they are admissible in subsequent proceedings to prove liability for, or invalidity of, the claim that is the subject of the stipulation." In support of their position, petitioners rely on In re Cluck, 165 Bankr. 1005 (W.D. Tex. 1993), affd. without published opinion 20 F.3d 1170 (5th Cir. 1994), and In re Camp, 170 Bankr. 610 (Bankr. N.D. Ohio 1994). We find In re Cluck, supra, and In re Camp, supra, on which petitioners rely to be distinguishable from the instant cases and their reliance on them to be misplaced. Moreover, in each of those cases, 11 U.S.C. sec. 505(a)(2)(A) (1994), prevented the Bankruptcy Court from relitigating the debtor's tax liability forPage: Previous 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Next
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