Bitcoin: Coinbase and Users vs IRS

[grarpamp]

http://www.coindesk.com/coinbase-user-irs-bitcoin-subpoena/

Berns originally filed a motion on December 13th asking the U.S.
District Court for Northern California to stop the IRS' subpoena of
Coinbase records. The IRS believes that its request, filed in
November, is justified because Bitcoin owners "may fail, or may have
failed, to comply with one or more provisions of the internal revenue
laws." Berns is represented by his own law firm, Berns Weiss, whose
motion argues that the IRS data search is "an abuse of process" and
"overbroad." Berns has said his motion is intended to defend not only
himself, but all targeted users. But according to a December 28th
court filing by the IRS, Berns is no longer a target of its records
request because he identified himself in his own filing, and the
request is only for unidentified users. Therefore, the IRS argues,
Berns is not a party to proceedings and his request to block the data
grab should be thrown out of court. In response, Berns Weiss had its
own spin, telling Coindesk that "The IRS's willingness to withdraw the
summons as to Mr. Berns only because it is now aware of his identity,"
and without the additional information they're seeking about many
other Coinbase users, "Makes it clear that the IRS does not have a
legitimate purpose in seeking substantial personal and financial
information concerning approximately 3 million Americans."

https://news.slashdot.org/story/17/01/02/208239/legal-sparring-continues-in-bitcoin-users-battle-with-irs-tax-sweep