Free Joint Status Report - District Court of Federal Claims - federal

Case 1:04-cv-00683-MBH

Document 21

Filed 01/22/2007

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS No. 04-683 T (Judge Marian Blank Horn) (Consolidated with Nos. 05-695 T, 05-696 T, 05-1074 T, 05-1315 T, & 05-1384 T)

JOHN E. KETTLE and ANNE R. KETTLE, Plaintiffs v. THE UNITED STATES, Defendant.

JOINT STATUS REPORT

Pursuant to the Court's Order [Doc. #17] dated May 17, 2006, the parties, through their attorneys, provide the following progress report on John F. and Pamela F. Hinck v. United States, Fed. Cl. No. 03-865 T. On May 4, 2006, the Federal Circuit affirmed this Court's dismissal of the complaint in Hinck. See Hinck v. United States, 446 F.3d 1307 (Fed. Cir. 2006). The Federal Circuit held that 26 U.S.C. § 6404(h) grants exclusive subject matter jurisdiction to the Tax Court to review the IRS's denials of interest abatement, and therefore the Court of Federal Claims lacks subject matter jurisdiction to do the same. Under the Federal Circuit's decision, the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the interest abatement claims in Kettle, Fed. Cl. No. 04-683 T and Weidemann, Fed. Cl. No. 05-1384 T. On January 12, 2007, the Supreme Court granted certiorari to review the Federal Circuit's decision in Hinck. See Hinck v. U.S., - - S.Ct. - -, 2007 WL 80666, 75 USLW 3121

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Case 1:04-cv-00683-MBH

Document 21

Filed 01/22/2007

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(Jan. 12, 2007). Accordingly, the parties continue to propose the Court wait until final appellate action, before dismissing the interest abatement claims in Kettle and Weidemann. Plaintiffs' attorney has authorized defendant's attorney to sign this joint status report on her behalf. Respectfully submitted, 1/22/2007 Date s/Teresa J. Womack by s/Bart D. Jeffress TERESA JEAN WOMACK Redding & Associates, P.C. P.O. Box 924328 Houston, Texas 77292-4328 (713) 965-9244 (713) 621-5227 (fax) Attorney for Plaintiffs 1/22/2007 Date s/Bart D. Jeffress BART D. JEFFRESS Attorney of Record U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division Court of Federal Claims Section Post Office Box 26 Ben Franklin Post Office Washington, D.C. 20044 (202) 307-6496 (202) 514-9440 (fax) EILEEN J. O'CONNOR Assistant Attorney General DAVID GUSTAFSON Chief, Court of Federal Claims Section STEVEN I. FRAHM Assistant Chief, Court of Federal Claims Section 1/22/2007 Date s/Steven I. Frahm Of Counsel Attorneys for Defendant