United States v. Hopkins

• Decision Date: 29 December 1960
• Citation: 193 F. Supp. 207
• Parties: UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. John Randolph HOPKINS, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Natcon Chemical Co., Inc. and Rio Chemical Co., Inc., Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York

193 F. Supp. 207

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff, v. John Randolph HOPKINS, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Natcon Chemical Co., Inc. and Rio Chemical Co., Inc., Defendants.

United States District Court S. D. New York.

December 29, 1960.

S. Hazard Gillespie, Jr., U. S. Atty., Southern Dist. of New York, New York City, for plaintiff, Myron J. Wiess, Asst. U. S. Atty., New York City, of counsel.

Casey, Lane & Mittendorf, New York City, for defendant Connecticut Gen. Life Ins. Co.

Henry Klein, New York City, for defendants Natcon Chemical Co., Inc. and Rio Chemical Co., Inc.

DIMOCK, District Judge.

The Government moves pursuant to Rule 55(b), F.R.Civ.P., for a partial judgment by default against defendant-taxpayer John Randolph Hopkins enforcing the tax liens asserted in this action brought under section 1655 of title 28 U.S.Code. The Government further moves for summary judgment foreclosing a tax lien on the cash surrender value of an insurance policy issued to Hopkins by defendant Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (hereinafter referred to as "Connecticut General") and for summary judgment foreclosing a tax lien on royalties due and to become due to Hopkins from defendant Rio Chemical Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Rio Chemical").

Defendant Natcon Chemical Co., Inc. cross-moves for summary judgment dismissing on the merits the Government's action against it on the ground that Hopkins owns no right to receive royalty payments from Natcon Chemical Co., Inc. The Government does not oppose this cross-motion and it is granted.

The Government seeks a partial default judgment enforcing tax assessments against Hopkins for the years 1943 through 1949, the unpaid balance of which amounts to $1,076,623.07. Rio Chemical held, as of June 30, 1960, royalties in the sum of $2,039.89 which it owed to Hopkins. The royalties continue to accumulate at the rate of one-fourth of ten per cent of the gross amount of the annual sales of the products covered by the royalty agreement. The cash surrender value of the life insurance policy issued to Hopkins by Connecticut General amounted to $21,410.31, as of December 6, 1960, and is being applied to extended insurance coverage on Hopkins' life, by reason of a default in payment of premiums.

Defendant Connecticut General makes three points: (a) that Hopkins was incompetent at the time of the alleged beginning of the suit and that the court has obtained no jurisdiction under section 1655; (b) that no property of the taxpayer, or to which he has any right, title or interest is in the possession or under the control of defendant Connecticut General; and (c) that, if it be assumed that the taxpayer's rights under the policy are property in defendant Connecticut General's possession, such property is not located within this district or partly within this district and partly within another so as to be subject to a lien foreclosure action in which service may be made upon absent defendants under section 1655 of title 28 U.S.Code.

Section 1655 of title 28 U.S.Code, under which the action is brought reads as follows:

"§ 1655. Lien enforcement; absent defendants

"In an action in a district court to enforce any lien upon or claim to, or to remove any incumbrance or lien or cloud upon the title to, real or personal property within the district, where any defendant cannot be served within the State, or does not voluntarily appear, the court may order the absent defendant to appear or plead by a day certain.

"Such order shall be served on the absent defendant personally if practicable, wherever found, and also upon the person or persons in possession or charge of such property, if any. Where personal service is not practicable, the order shall be published as the court may direct, not less than once a week for six consecutive weeks.

"If an absent defendant does not appear or plead within the time allowed, the court may proceed as if the absent defendant had been served with process within the State, but any adjudication shall, as regards the absent defendant without appearance, affect only the property which is the subject of the action. When a part of the property is within another district, but within the same state, such action may be brought in either district.

"Any defendant not so personally notified may, at any time within one year after final judgment, enter his appearance, and thereupon the court shall set aside the judgment and permit such defendant to plead on payment of such costs as the court deems just."

In an attempt to begin this action, the Government served Hopkins by publication pursuant to court order dated June 19, 1959. The Government sought to sustain service by publication under section 1655 of title 28 U.S.Code, alleging that Hopkins' whereabouts were unknown and that he was a fugitive from justice, having been criminally indicted in this district for income tax evasion on June 19, 1956. Subsequently, the Government alleged that Hopkins had been apprehended and incarcerated in New Mexico and obtained a court order pursuant to section 1655 of title 28 U.S. Code, authorizing personal service on him outside the State of New York. Personal service of the second supplemental summons and second amended complaint was made on Hopkins at the New Mexico State Hospital on January 12, 1960. Hopkins has not appeared in this action.

While awaiting trial for income tax evasion for the years 1950 and 1951, Hopkins was, on October 28, 1960,...