William J. Laidlaw III - Page 5




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                                     Discussion                                       
               Other than testimony as to his announced "legal" theory,               
          petitioner presented no evidence and has abandoned contesting any           
          justiciable issue raised by respondent's determinations.  See               
          Rybak v. Commissioner, 91 T.C. 524, 566 n.19 (1988).                        
               We see no need to address the frivolous legal theory of                
          petitioner.  See Crain v. Commissioner, 737 F.2d 1417 (5th Cir.             
          1984); accord Casper v. Commissioner, 805 F.2d 902, 907 (10th               
          Cir. 1986), affg. T.C. Memo. 1985-154.                                      
               Petitioner has failed to prove any error in respondent's               
          determinations.  Respondent's determinations of deficiencies in             
          and additions to tax for 1994 through 1998, inclusive, are                  
          therefore sustained in their entirety.                                      
               At trial, respondent moved for penalties under section 6673,           
          sanctions and costs awarded by courts.  Section 6673(a)(1)                  
          authorizes the Tax Court to require a taxpayer to pay to the                
          United States a penalty not in excess of $25,000 whenever it                
          appears that proceedings have been instituted or maintained by              
          the taxpayer primarily for delay or that the taxpayer's positions           
          in such proceedings are frivolous or groundless.                            
               A petition to the Tax Court is frivolous "if it is contrary            
          to established law and unsupported by a reasoned, colorable                 
          argument for change in the law."  Coleman v. Commissioner, 791              
          F.2d 68, 71 (7th Cir. 1986), affg. an unreported order of this              






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