Source: http://www.ndcourts.gov/court/opinions/20090106.htm
Timestamp: 2018-01-21 00:55:38
Document Index: 715206687

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 39', '§ 1', '§ 39', '§ 39']

Sample v. N.D. Department of Transportation, 2009 ND 198, 775 N.W.2d 707
[Go to Documents] Filed Dec. 2, 2009
2009 ND 198
Larry Sample, d/b/a Sample Auto Sales, Petitioner and Appellant
No. 20090106
Michael J. Geiermann, P.O. Box 2196, Bismarck, N.D. 58502-2196, for petitioner and appellant. Michael T. Pitcher, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Attorney General, 500 N. 9th St., Bismarck, N.D. 58501-4509, respondent and appellee.
Sample v. ND Department of Transportation
[¶6] Sample argues the Department's order to suspend his dealer's license was not in accordance with the law because the Department does not have the statutory authority under N.D.C.C. § 39-44-04 to suspend his dealer's license for a violation under N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17. Words in a statute are given their plain, ordinary, and commonly understood meaning, unless defined by statute or unless a contrary intention plainly appears. N.D.C.C. § 1-02-02. "The language of the statute must be interpreted in context and according to the rules of grammar, giving meaning and effect to every word, phrase, and sentence." Walberg v. Walberg, 2008 ND 92, ¶ 9, 748 N.W.2d 702 (citing N.D.C.C. §§ 1-02-03 and 1-02-38(2)). If the language of the statute is clear and unambiguous, the letter of the statute is not to be disregarded under the pretext of pursuing its spirit. N.D.C.C. § 1-02-05. "We will harmonize statutes if possible to avoid conflicts between them, and our statutory interpretation must be consistent with legislative intent and done in a manner to further the policy goals and objectives of the statutes." Indus. Contractors, Inc. v. Workforce Safety and Ins., 2009 ND 157, ¶ 11 (citation omitted). Section 39-04-17, N.D.C.C., provides:
The possession of a certificate made out by a notary public or an authorized agent of a licensed vehicle dealer who took the acknowledgment of the application when the vehicle was first registered or required to be registered under the laws of this state, if such certificate shows the date of application, the make, registered weight, and year model of the motor vehicle, the manufacturer's number of the motor vehicle which such application describes, and further shows that such notary public, or authorized agent of a vehicle dealer, personally mailed the application with the remittance fee, is prima facie evidence of compliance with motor vehicle law with reference to the vehicle therein described, for a period of thirty days from the date of such application. Any violation of this section is an infraction punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars. (Emphasis added.)(1)
[¶7] Under the plain language of N.D.C.C. § 39-22-04, the Department has authority to suspend a motor vehicle dealer's license for willfully violating a law relating to the sale of a motor vehicle. Sample argues N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17 is a registration statute that does not relate to the sale, distribution, or financing of motor vehicles. Under N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17, the possession of a certificate made out by a notary public or an authorized agent of a licensed vehicle dealer is prima facie evidence that a notary public or dealer agent personally mailed the application with a fee and has complied with the law. Testimony at the administrative hearing indicates that a dealer issues a dealer certificate of license application at the time of the sale of a vehicle. Generally, a vehicle cannot be operated on public highways without being registered to the owner, and having numbered license plates and current registration tabs displayed. See N.D.C.C. §§ 39-04-02 and 39-04-11. At the time of the sale of a vehicle, the license plates must be removed and the new owner must apply for and obtain a new registration for the vehicle. N.D.C.C. § 39-04-36. It is the display of the certificate that is prima facie evidence of compliance with the motor vehicle law for thirty days. N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17. We conclude that N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17 is a law relating to the sale of motor vehicles. Therefore, a violation of N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17 is subject to the penalties under N.D.C.C. § 39-22-04, and the Department has authority to suspend a dealer's license. The ALJ did not misapply the law when he concluded that:
[¶9] At a hearing on S.B. 2132, members of the legislature questioned whether the Department would still have authority to suspend a motor vehicle dealer's license if the suspension language was removed. Lyle Paulson, Dealer Representative of the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department, testified that he believed the law pertaining to motor vehicle dealerships would still allow the Department to suspend a dealer's license. Hearing on S.B. 2132 Before the House Transportation Comm., 48th N.D. Legis. Sess. (Feb. 11, 1983) (testimony of Lyle Paulson, Dealer Representative for the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department) ["Hearing on S.B. 2132"]. Legislative history also indicates that "Theron Strinden read from section 39-2[2]-04(2) of the Code regarding suspension being covered under the dealer registration law." Hearing on S.B. 2132, supra (testimony of Theron Strinden, Motor Vehicle Registrar). Moreover, written testimony from Lyle Paulson indicates that the new penalty was included to provide the Department with authority to fine non-dealers because the previous penalty provision only covered licensed motor vehicle dealers. Hearing on S.B. 2132, supra (written testimony of Lyle Paulson, Dealer Representative for the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department). The legislative history indicates that the legislature understood that the Department had authority to suspend a dealer's license under N.D.C.C. § 39-22-04 for violating N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17. Thus, we conclude the statutes can be harmonized.
The ALJ's findings include that Sample either made a sale or acted as if he made a sale on September 15, 2007, he issued a certificate, and he had a legal duty to remit the application and remittance fee. Based on our review of the record, we conclude a reasoning mind could have reasonably determined that Sample willfully violated N.D.C.C. § 39-04-17.
1. The Legislative Assembly amended the statute effective August 1, 2009, to provide a dealer or authorized agent forty-five days to submit the application with the remittance fee. 2009 N.D. Sess. Laws ch. 325, § 1.
2. The section cited in the history is N.D.C.C. § 39-24-04. However, N.D.C.C. § 39-24-04 applies to the registration of snowmobiles. We assume this is a typographical error.