RULE 34. PETITION
- (a) General:
- (1) Deficiency or Liability Actions: The petition with respect
to a notice of deficiency or a notice of liability shall be
substantially in accordance with Form 1
shown in Appendix I, and shall comply with the requirements of
these Rules relating to pleadings. Ordinarily, a separate petition
shall be filed with respect to each notice of deficiency or each
notice of liability. However, a single petition may be filed
seeking a redetermination with respect to all notices of deficiency
or liability directed to one person alone or to such person and one
or more other persons or to a husband and a wife individually,
except that the Court may require a severance and a separate case
to be maintained with respect to one or more of such notices. Where
the notice of deficiency or liability is directed to more than one
person, each such person desiring to contest it shall file a
petition, either separately or jointly with any such other person,
and each such person must satisfy all the requirements of this Rule
in order for the petition to be treated as filed by or for such
person. The petition shall be complete, so as to enable
ascertainment of the issues intended to be presented. No telegram,
cablegram, radiogram, telephone call, electronically transmitted
copy, or similar communication will be recognized as a petition.
Failure of the petition to satisfy applicable requirements may be
ground for dismissal of the case. As to the joinder of parties, see
Rule 61; and as to the effect of
misjoinder of parties, see Rule 62. For
the circumstances under which a timely mailed petition will be
treated as having been timely filed, see Code Section 7502.
- 1(2) Other actions: For the requirements relating to the
petitions in other actions, see the following Rules: Declaratory
judgment actions, Rules 211(b), 311(b); disclosure
actions, Rule 221(b); partnership actions, Rules 241(b),
301(b); administrative costs actions, Rule 271(b); abatement
of interest actions, Rule 281(b); redetermination of
employment status actions, Rule 291(b); determination of
relief from joint and several liability on a joint return actions,
Rule 321(b); and lien and levy actions, Rule 331(b). As to joinder of parties in declaratory judgment actions, in disclosure actions, and in partnership actions, see Rules
215, 226, and 241(h) and 301(f), respectively.
- (b) Content of Petition in Deficiency or Liability Actions:
The petition in a deficiency or liability action shall contain (see
Form 1, Appendix I):
- (1) In the case of a petitioner other than a corporation, the
petitioner's name and legal residence; in the case of a corporate
petitioner, its name and principal place of business or principal
office or agency; and, in all cases, the petitioner's mailing
address and identification number (e.g., Social Security number or
employer identification number) and the office of the Internal
Revenue Service with which the tax return for the period in
controversy was filed. The mailing address, legal residence,
principal place of business, or principal office or agency shall be
stated as of the date of filing the petition. In the event of a
variance between the name set forth in the notice of deficiency or
liability and the correct name, a statement of the reasons for such
variance shall be set forth in the petition.
- (2) The date of the notice of deficiency or liability, or other
proper allegations showing jurisdiction in the Court, and the City
and State of the office of the Internal Revenue Service which
issued the notice.
- (3) The amount of the deficiency or liability, as the case may
be, determined by the Commissioner, the nature of the tax, the year
or years or other periods for which the determination was made;
and, if different from the Commissioner's determination, the
approximate amount of taxes in controversy.
- (4) Clear and concise assignments of each and every error which
the petitioner alleges to have been committed by the Commissioner
in the determination of the deficiency or liability. The
assignments of error shall include issues in respect of which the
burden of proof is on the Commissioner. Any issue not raised in the
assignments of error shall be deemed to be conceded. Each
assignment of error shall be separately lettered.
- (5) Clear and concise lettered statements of the facts on which
petitioner bases the assignments of error, except with respect to
those assignments of error as to which the burden of proof is on
the Commissioner.
- (6) A prayer setting forth relief sought by the petitioner.
- (7) The signature, mailing address, and telephone number of
each petitioner or each petitioner's counsel, as well as counsel's
Tax Court bar number.
- (8) A copy of the notice of deficiency or liability, as the
case may be, which shall be appended to the petition, and with
which there shall be included so much of any statement accompanying
the notice as is material to the issues raised by the assignments
of error. If the notice of deficiency or liability or accompanying
statement incorporates by reference any prior notices, or other
material furnished by the Internal Revenue Service, such parts
thereof as are material to the issues raised by the assignments of
error likewise shall be appended to the petition.
- A claim for reasonable litigation or administrative costs shall
not be included in the petition in a deficiency or liability
action. For the requirements as to claims for reasonable litigation
or administrative costs, see Rule
231.
- 1(c) Content of Petition in Other Actions: For the
requirements as to the content of the petition in a small tax
case, see Rule 173(a). For the requirements as to the content
of the petition in other actions, see Rule 211(c), (d), (e), (f),
and (g), Rule 221(c), (d), and (e), Rule 241(c), (d), and (e),
Rule 271(b), Rule 281(b), Rule 291(b), Rule 301(b), Rule 311(b), Rule 321(b), and Rule 331(b).
- (d) Number Filed. For each petition filed, there shall be a
signed original together with two conformed copies.
1The amendments are effective as of June 30, 2003.
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