Opinion ID: 1679566
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: amount of security deposit

Text: Clayton asserts that the district court erred in concluding that a reasonable possibility of a judgment against Clayton existed without first having addressed whether the DMV's estimation of the amount of the judgment was reasonable. The DMV is required to review accident reports when the accident resulted in bodily injury, death, or property damage to an apparent extent in excess of $500. See § 60-507(1). Based on its review of the accident reports, the DMV estimated that Clayton caused approximately $66,301 in property damage. Clayton argues that the accident reports and the DMV's notices provide no support for the conclusion that a security deposit in the amount of $66,301 was reasonable and that without determining whether this amount was reasonable, the district court erred by concluding that there was a reasonable possibility of a judgment against her. The only issue before the DMV was whether the evidence supported a finding that there was a reasonable possibility of a judgment in excess of $500 against Clayton. See, Wollenburg v. Conrad, 246 Neb. 666, 522 N.W.2d 408 (1994); Wroblewski, supra ; Berg v. Pearson, 199 Neb. 390, 259 N.W.2d 275 (1977). The DMV is not required to weigh the alleged negligence or contributory negligence of the parties involved. Wollenburg, supra ; Wroblewski, supra . The DMV's order is based only upon the facts contained in the accident reports. A district court should not set aside a DMV suspension order unless there is no reasonable possibility of a judgment in excess of $500 being rendered. See, Wollenburg, supra ; Wroblewski, supra . At her hearing, Clayton conceded that damages were likely to amount to $15,000 to $20,000. This concession proved that there was a reasonable possibility of a judgment against Clayton in excess of $500. Although Clayton conceded that the damages were likely to amount to $15,000 to $20,000, she offered no evidence in support of her estimate. As stated above, the burden of proof is on the licensee in an appeal from a DMV suspension order. By failing to produce any evidence in support of her damage estimates, Clayton failed to meet her burden of proof.