United States v. Birnie Davenport, Gordon E. Davenport

KING, Circuit Judge:

In an action to determine the federal tax liability of the estate of Birnie Davenport, the tax court held that the estate was liable for the unpaid gift tax on inter-vivos gifts of stock made by Birnie Davenport to her two nephews, Gordon Davenport and Charles Botefuhr, and her niece, Patricia Vestal. Because the estate did not pay the tax, the government now seeks to collect it from Gordon Davenport under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code imposing liability for an unpaid gift tax on the transferee of the gift. The district court held that Gordon Davenport was…