Although the rollout of the “new online petition generator, a tool to help pro se petitioners and others file petitions with the Court” allegedly occurred at 0800 Eastern this morning, no mention thereof can be found on the Tax Court website. I suppose the pro se has to register with DAWSON before being admitted to the robosphere.

Who the “others” might be in the above set forth statement is likewise nowhere stated, as yesterday’s webinar stressed that the new jim-handy generator is for the self-represented only. Practitioners are relegated to their own preparation. Like Dorothy Parker’s fat hen, “You cannot persuade her with gun or lariat to come across for the proletariat.”

Natheless, I expect great things from the robopetitioner. It finally got rid of the endless orders directing redaction of SSANs and TINs from kit-prepared petitions. The new system supposedly routes that information straight to IRS, never reaching Tax Court’s files. Of course, redacting everything else still falls to the petitioner.

And regrettably, the invaluable introductory webinar aired yesterday, July 30, has joined darling Clementine and the snows of yesteryear, gone forever.