Opinion ID: 1407256
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Alleged Failure Of Proof On Social Security Payments

Text: Finally, defendant argues it was necessary for the State to produce the cancelled social security checks to prove that she actually received and negotiated them. We disagree. Unable to obtain those checks from the main social security office in Maryland during the trial, the State offered records indicating payments were mailed to defendant at her correct address. A local social security representative also testified it was customary for his office to include in its files any complaint regarding nonreceipt of payments. (Tr. at 50-52). He further testified there was nothing in these files to indicate that defendant had not received the mailed payments, [10] and defendant presented nothing to demonstrate the non-receipt thereof. A letter correctly addressed and properly mailed is presumed to have been received. Dunlop v. United States, 165 U.S. 486, 17 S.Ct. 375, 41 L.Ed. 799 (1897); Legille v. Dann, 178 U.S.App.D.C. 78, 544 F.2d 1 (1976). As defendant proffered nothing to rebut this presumption, we find the trial court did not err in concluding that defendant received the social security payments as alleged. Affirmed.