Like the human players in Jaques’ soliloquy, the CDP plays many parts. It can take the form of a phoneathon, a tete-a-tete, or a correspondence volley. Thus Judge Ashford teaches us and James D. Sullivan, Docket No. 11738-20L, filed 8/4/21.

James is a frivolite, playing the SE gambit: “The IRC is only applicable in DC and US Territories for those born in  US Territory, who work for the National Government, or are US  Resident Aliens. At all times relevant to this inquiry, the IRC did not apply to me. I was born in one of the 50 states and thus not subject to the territorial jurisdiction of DC and US Territories. I did not work for, or receive income from, the National Government in any capacity, and was not a US Person (a US Taxpayer). I am not one described in IRC 6331(a) as a federal employee, officer or or [sic] elected official. Thus, I received no ‘taxable income’; the levy is invalid; and the NOIL [i.e., the levy notice] must be rescinded.” Order, at p. 3, footnote 4.

James got a SNOD for the $370K in deficiencies and chops, and timely petitioned, except he didn’t pay the sixty Georges or file a proper amended petition, so he got tossed four years ago. When he got the NFTL, he went to Appeals.

There’s argy-bargy about whether James got some letters from the SO, and there’s also some phone-tag, but James chose to respond to everything in writing (frivolities and attempts to litigate the deficiencies included).

Judge Ashford: “Petitioner also asserts that he never received a (telephonic) CDP hearing. However, the record reflects that petitioner’s primary method of communication during the CDP process was through mailed correspondence. AO R attempted to call petitioner several times and had been corresponding with petitioner via mail because that was the way he communicated with her. She explained in her letters to him why he could not challenge his underlying liabilities and, by his own admission, he was not seeking a collection alternative. These communications with petitioner collectively constituted his CDP hearing; he thus received all the process that was due to him. See sec. 301.6330-1(d)(2) Q&A-D6, Proced. & Admin. Regs. (‘A CDP hearing may, but is not required to, consist of a face-to-face meeting, one or more written or oral communications between an Appeals officer or employee and the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s representative, or some combination thereof.’)….” Order, at p. 6. (Citation and name omitted).

Takeaway- A CDP can be a couple letters (hi, Judge Holmes).