Joseph Giamelli - Page 20




                                       - 20 -                                         
          the issuance of the determination letter.  The majority opinion             
          does not disagree with this conclusion.  See majority op. n.7.              
               Second, Appeals Office hearings are informal.  See Katz v.             
          Commissioner, 115 T.C. 329, 337 (2000); Davis v. Commissioner,              
          115 T.C. 35, 41 (2000); sec. 301.6330-1(d)(2), Q&A-D6, Proced. &            
          Admin. Regs.  There exists no right to subpoena witnesses or                
          documents in connection with a section 6330 Appeals Office                  
          hearing.  See Roberts v. Commissioner, 118 T.C. 365, 372 (2002)             
          affd. 329 F.3d 1224 (11th Cir. 2003); Nestor v. Commissioner, 118           
          T.C. 162, 166-167 (2002); Davis v. Commissioner, supra at 41-42;            
          sec. 301.6330-1(d)(2), Q&A-D6, Proced. & Admin. Regs.                       
               While taxpayers must raise all pertinent issues at the                 
          Appeals Office hearing and make a timely good faith effort to               
          produce evidence in support of those issues, they may be unable             
          to provide sufficient evidence to convince a skeptical Appeals              
          Office employee.  This is particularly true where the supporting            
          evidence includes the testimony or documents of uncooperative               
          third parties.  In such circumstances the taxpayer may seek to              
          provide additional evidence at the section 6330(d)(1) trial                 
          utilizing the Tax Court’s Rule 147 subpoena power or the threat             
          thereof.  In such cases, in determining whether the Appeals                 
          Office abused its discretion, the taking of additional evidence             
          at trial with respect to a previously raised issue may be                   
          appropriate.  Robinette v. Commissioner, 123 T.C. 85, 95 (2004),            







Page:  Previous  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  Next 

Last modified: November 10, 2007