- 35 - raise, nor did the Ninth Circuit address, the different evidence alternative. Stewart v. Commissioner, 714 F.2d 977 (9th Cir. 1983), affg. T.C. Memo. 1982-209, is a post-Abatti case that also required the Ninth Circuit to interpret Rule 142(a)’s use of the term “new matter”. The Ninth Circuit concluded: "It is well settled that the assertion of a new theory that merely clarifies the original determination, without requiring the presentation of different evidence, does not shift the burden of proof." Id. at 990 (citing Achiro v. Commissioner, 77 T.C. at 890). Again, the Ninth Circuit stated an interpretation of the term “new matter” that, if considered in isolation, could be misunderstood to exclude alternative interpretations and would imply that, in every instance, a new theory that does not require different evidence is not new matter. I do not believe we must infer that, in going from Abatti to Stewart, the Ninth Circuit replaced one singular interpretation of the term “new matter”, i.e., inconsistency, with another, i.e., different evidence. Clearly the Ninth Circuit has adopted both alternatives of our disjunctive test. Although the Ninth Circuit has stated each alternative in exclusive terms at different times, I think that those statements can be harmonized. If, however, either test preempts the other in the Ninth Circuit, we must conclude thatPage: Previous 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 Next
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