Opinion ID: 1979104
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Emelike U. Agomo

Text: Agomo is the registered owner of a vehicle with the Texas license plate G36-NVZ. Between November 10, 2001 and March 16, 2002, the ATE System identified Agomo's car as speeding in the District at least eighteen different times. Tickets for each of the moving violations were issued to Agomo at his registered address in Texas. Each gave Agomo thirty days to respond, or else it deemed the moving violation admitted. On July 17, 2002, a hearing was held on six of the eighteen citations issued to Agomo. Although not personally present for the hearing, Agomo was represented by counsel who made the following argument on his behalf: [Agomo's] counsel denies the infraction and alleges the following: [Agomo] lives in Houston, TX. He received notices too late to schedule a hearing. He got a list of the infractions at once. He wasn't driving the vehicle but he doesn't know who was driving the vehicle. The Constitution doesn't allow a presumption of guilt which is what the Government is doing in this instance by making [Agomo] identify the driver or be found guilty of the violation. One of three people could be driving the vehicle [sic]. The hearing examiner determined that Agomo was liable for two of the six tickets, based on the fact that he was the registered owner of the vehicle.