Michael A. McCann - Page 5




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                                       OPINION                                        
               A Stipulation of Settled Issues, in which respondent agreed            
          to many of petitioner’s Schedule C deductions, was followed by a            
          continuance of trial in this case and approximately 17 months of            
          unproductive discovery skirmishes.  When respondent declined to             
          concede any additional deductions, and shortly before trial,                
          petitioner sent to the Court a document entitled “Notice of                 
          Non-Suit and Withdrawal of Petition”, which was filed as                    
          Petitioner’s Motion to Dismiss and denied.  Once petitioner has             
          invoked the jurisdiction of this Court, petitioner may not                  
          withdraw or voluntarily dismiss his petition without a decision             
          being entered against him.  See sec. 7459(d); Estate of Ming v.             
          Commissioner, 62 T.C. 519, 524 (1974).  Although petitioner                 
          attempts to portray himself as a victim of unreasonable action by           
          respondent, our observation of petitioner during trial and our              
          review of the record in this case convince us that petitioner’s             
          abusive practices and meritless claims are the cause of his                 
          difficulties.                                                               
               We need not accept uncontroverted testimony at face value if           
          it is improbable, unreasonable, or questionable, see, e.g.,                 
          Lovell & Hart, Inc. v. Commissioner, 456 F.2d 145, 148 (6th Cir.            
          1972), affg. T.C. Memo. 1970-335, or if the totality of the                 
          evidence conveys a different impression.  See Diamond Bros. Co.             
          v. Commissioner, 322 F.2d 725, 731 (3d Cir. 1963), affg. T.C.               






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