Opinion ID: 1338930
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Shedd Facts

Text: Mr. Shedd was arrested in Preston County on January 26, 1997, for driving under the influence of alcohol in violation of West Virginia Code § 17C-5-2(d) (1996). Upon his arrest, Mr. Shedd provided the arresting officer with the correct address of his residence at 207 Pratt Street, Kingwood, West Virginia. This address was included in the information forwarded to the Division when the arresting officer reported the arrest to the Division. Upon notice of the arrest, the Division issued an initial order revoking the privilege of Mr. Shedd to drive in West Virginia. The initial revocation order was forwarded to Mr. Shedd by certified mail on February 5, 1997, return receipt requested, at the address which was then on file for him with the Division, [1] pursuant to the requirements of West Virginia Code § 17A-2-19 (1996). [2] The United States Postal Service stamped the envelope containing the initial revocation order forwarding order expired and returned the order to the Division. The initial revocation order afforded Mr. Shedd the right to request an administrative hearing to challenge the order within ten days of receiving notice of the order. Mr. Shedd never requested an administrative hearing. Eight months later, on October 11, 1997, Mr. Shedd was stopped for an unrelated traffic violation and was notified at that time that his license had been revoked by the Division. After another four months, Mr. Shedd filed a Petition for Appeal and Supersedeas on Behalf of Appellant in the circuit court of Preston County seeking review of the Division's decision denying him the right to an administrative appeal. According to the record, Mr. Shedd filed this petition pursuant to the West Virginia Administrative Procedures Act (hereinafter APA), West Virginia Code §§ 29A-1-1 to 29A-7-4 (1998). Mr. Shedd maintains that when he told the arresting officer his current address, he officially notified the Division of his address change and, therefore, the Division should have sent the notice of revocation to his new address. After a hearing, the circuit court held: (1) that DMV Form 14, which is the statement of the arresting officer that is prepared and issued pursuant to West Virginia Code § 17C-5A-1 (1996), is an official notification to the Division and the document that triggered the initial order of revocation; (2) that upon the return of the initial order of revocation to the Division, it was incumbent on the Division to send the notice to the address Mr. Shedd gave the arresting officer; and (3) that Mr. Shedd is entitled to have an administrative hearing to appeal the revocation of his license. The circuit court ordered the Division to provide Mr. Shedd with an administrative hearing, provided Mr. Shedd requested such a hearing within ten days after the entry of the order memorializing its rulings.