-29- return); Bagby v. Commissioner, 102 T.C. 596 (1994) (taxpayer's use in 1991 of forged tax returns and altered checks is relevant evidence of taxpayer's fraudulent intent for tax years 1985-87, where taxpayer had not filed returns for those years). We also agree with petitioner that under rule 404(a) and (b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence, evidence of petitioner's "other acts" in 1994-95 may not be admitted to prove petitioner's "character" in order to show that petitioner acted in conformity therewith in failing to file returns for 1989-92. However, rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence expressly provides that "other acts" evidence may be admitted to show knowledge, intent, or the absence of accident or mistake. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit--to which an appeal of this case would lie--construes rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence as a "rule of inclusion"; "other acts" evidence is admissible under rule 404(b), unless it tends to prove only propensity or disposition. See United States v. Ayers, 924 F.2d 1468, 1472-1473 (9th Cir. 1991). The Court of Appeals applies the following four-part test to determine the admissibility of "other acts" evidence: 1. sufficient evidence must exist for the trier of fact to find that the party committed the other acts; 2. the other acts must be introduced to prove a material issue in the case; 3. the other acts must not be too remote in time; andPage: Previous 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Next
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