Commonwealth v. Ratliff

Opinion by

President Judge Crumlish, Jr.,

The Department of Transportation (DOT) appeals a Philadelphia County Common Pleas Court order sustaining William Ratliffs appeal of a three-month drivers license suspension. We reverse.

Ratliff was the owner and operator of a motor vehicle uninsured at the time of a collision. DOT suspended his drivers license pursuant to 75 Pa. C. S. §1785, which provides that if the owner does not “maintain financial responsibility on the motor vehicle at the time of the accident, the department shall suspend his operating privilege.” (Emphasis added.) The common pleas…