Richardson v. Oregon Department of Transportation

292 P.3d 557, 253 Or. App. 456, 2012 Ore. App. LEXIS 1387
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedNovember 7, 2012
DocketCV10100021; A149361
StatusPublished

This text of 292 P.3d 557 (Richardson v. Oregon Department of Transportation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Richardson v. Oregon Department of Transportation, 292 P.3d 557, 253 Or. App. 456, 2012 Ore. App. LEXIS 1387 (Or. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

HADLOCK, J.

The Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV) of the Oregon Department of Transportation suspended plaintiff’s driving privileges in 2010 after receiving notice from the Central Lane Justice Court that plaintiff had failed to pay 17 traffic fines that he incurred in the 1990s. Plaintiff requested administrative review before DMV under ORS 809.440(2), and DMV issued three orders upholding the suspensions.1 Plaintiff initiated proceedings in circuit court, and that court reviewed the DMV orders under ORS 183.484, which governs judicial review of orders in other than contested cases. The circuit court reversed the DMV orders, ruling that the agency had applied the law incorrectly, and ordered DMV to reinstate plaintiff’s driving privileges. DMV now appeals the circuit court’s judgment. As explained below, we conclude (albeit for reasons other than those on which the circuit court relied) that DMV erroneously interpreted certain statutory provisions related to suspensions of driving privileges when it rejected plaintiff’s challenge to the suspension orders. We also conclude that, under a correct understanding of the law, DMV erred when it suspended petitioner’s driving privileges in 2010. Accordingly, we affirm the circuit court’s judgment.

We begin with a discussion of the statutes that govern suspension of driving privileges for failure to pay a traffic fine. When a person is convicted of a traffic offense and fails to pay a judicially imposed fine, ORS 809.210(l)(a) authorizes the court to “[i]ssue notice to the [DMV] to implement procedures under ORS 809.416.” ORS 809.416, in turn, directs that the person is subject to the suspension of driving privileges under ORS 809.415(4) when DMV receives the ORS 809.210 notice of failure to pay the fine. The statute also specifies how long the person remains subject to the suspension of driving privileges:

“A person who is subject under this subsection remains subject until the person presents the department with [459]*459notice issued by the court showing that the person has paid the fine or obeyed the order of the court or until 10 years have elapsed, whichever is earlier. * * * Upon receipt of notice from a court, the department shall send a letter by first class mail advising the person that the suspension will commence 60 days from the date of the letter unless the person presents the department with the notice required by this subsection.”

ORS 809.416(2) (emphasis added). ORS 809.415(4) similarly directs that DMV “shall suspend driving privileges when provided under ORS 809.416.” It, too, provides that suspension of a person’s driving privileges under ORS 809.416(2) continues until either (1) the person “establishes to the satisfaction of the department that the person has performed all acts necessary under ORS 809.416 to make the person not subject to suspension” or (2) “[t]en years from the date the suspension is imposed.” ORS 809.415(4)(a)(A), (B).2

A person whose driving privileges are suspended under ORS 809.415(4) is entitled to administrative review under ORS 809.440. ORS 809.415(4)(b). That review “shall consist of an informal administrative process to assure prompt and careful review by the department of the documents upon which an action is based.” ORS 809.440(2)(a).3 In that review, it “shall be a defense” to any Department of Transportation action if the person against whom the action is directed can establish that:

“(A) A conviction on which the department’s action is based was for an offense that did not involve a motor vehicle and the department’s action is permitted only if the offense involves a motor vehicle.
“(B) An out-of-state conviction on which the department’s action is based was for an offense that is not comparable to an offense under Oregon law. [460]*460“(C) The records relied on by the department identify the wrong person.”

ORS 809.440(2)(b). The person challenging a suspension of driving privileges (or other department action) has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that he or she is not subject to that action. ORS 809.440(2)(c). Judicial review of an administrative order affirming a suspension is available “as for review of orders other than contested cases.” ORS 809.440(2)(e).

The facts relevant to our decision are undisputed. Between June 1996 and July 1997, the Central Lane Justice Court entered 17 judgments against plaintiff for motor vehicle violations. Each of those judgments required plaintiff to pay a fine, each of which plaintiff failed to pay. DMV notified plaintiff that his driving privileges would be suspended if he continued to fail to pay his fines and, on various dates between February 1997 and February 1998, DMV did suspend plaintiff’s driving privileges. Each of those suspensions corresponded to a particular unpaid fine and, as DMV acknowledges, each of those suspensions lasted “5 years total,” which then was the maximum statutory suspension period. See 253 Or App at 459 n 2.

Plaintiff first applied to reinstate his driving privileges on October 10, 2006, and he was issued a new license that same day. Plaintiff still has not paid any of his fines associated with the 1996 and 1997 judgments.

For reasons not clear on this record, plaintiff appeared before the justice court again on March 31, 2010, for proceedings related to his continuing failure to pay the fines imposed in 1996 and 1997.

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Related

State v. Gaines
206 P.3d 1042 (Oregon Supreme Court, 2009)
In the Matter of Marriage of Petersen and Petersen
888 P.2d 23 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1994)
State v. Stamper
106 P.3d 172 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2005)
State v. Stamper
119 P.3d 790 (Oregon Supreme Court, 2005)
Langlotz v. Noelle
39 P.3d 271 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2002)
Ericsson v. State
285 P.3d 722 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
292 P.3d 557, 253 Or. App. 456, 2012 Ore. App. LEXIS 1387, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richardson-v-oregon-department-of-transportation-orctapp-2012.