Opinion ID: 326172
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Tax Court's Findings.

Text: 3 Whether property is held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of trade or business is a question of fact. Estate of Freeland v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 9 Cir., 1968, 393 F.2d 573, 575, cert. denied, 393 U.S. 845, 89 S.Ct. 132, 21 L.Ed.2d 117; Los Angeles Extension Co. v. United States, 9 Cir., 1963, 315 F.2d 1, 2. We may not overturn the fact finding of the Tax Court unless it is clearly erroneous. Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Duberstein, 1960, 363 U.S. 278, 291, 80 S.Ct. 1190, 4 L.Ed.2d 1218; Northwest Acceptance Corp. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 9 Cir., 1974, 500 F.2d 1222, and cases there cited. 4 In a brief over 100 pages, Rockwell's counsel analyze the record exhaustively and repetitively and cite a great many cases. The length of the brief seems to be a function of the complexity of Rockwell's dealings and of the amount of money involved, more than $738,000.00. We commend counsel's diligence but not their editorial judgment. They could have said everything that they do say in about half as many pages. Almost always, when we grant permission to file an oversized brief, we have cause to regret having done so. 5 We said in Los Angeles Extension Co. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, supra, 315 F.2d at 3, a case which, like this one, involved the trade or business issue: 6 It is rare indeed that one will find any precedent value in applying the decision of one case to the facts of another case. At the most, other cases decided by the courts on this subject may be persuasive or suggestive of the approach of the courts to cases where the facts may be somewhat similar. 7 For this reason, we do not burden this opinion with an analysis of the cases that counsel cite. None announces any principle that would require a reversal here. 8 Moreover, it would serve no useful purpose to repeat here the facts which are detailed in the Tax Court's memorandum decision. As to certain properties, the Tax Court found that they were held as investments and for the production of income rather than primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of trade or business, thus to that extent finding in favor of Rockwell. As to the others, the Tax Court found in favor of the Commissioner. If we were the Tax Court, we might have made different findings as to some or all of the properties. However, it is not our function to retry the case. We are not persuaded that the Tax Court's findings are clearly erroneous. 9