Motor Vehicles Board of Appeals Hearings
Also known as “The Board of Appeal” for short, this is an administrative body that is overseen by the Division of Insurance. It consists of a panel of 3 lawyers, typically one appointee from the Attorney General’s Office, one from the Division of Insurance, and one from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles. An Appellee will appear before the Board after they have been issued a license suspension by the Registry of Motor Vehicles and have been denied relief after a hearing at the RMV.
Navigating Board of Appeals Hearings on Motor Vehicle Liability and Bonds
The RMV will provide you with an appeal form and for a cost of $50, you can apply to the Board for a hearing. Pursuant to G.L. c. 90 § 28, the Board may order the Registry’s ruling or decision to be affirmed, modified, or annulled. The Board has the power to grant hardship licenses even when the Mass. DMV says no. The Board of Appeal handles thousands of license suspension cases each year and Board of Appeal hearings are scheduled based on the length of the suspension and when the appeal was filed. These hearings are appointment only and unlike the RMV, cannot be done on a walk-in basis.
These hearings are not like Court hearings. Typically, unless you have a criminal case pending, the Board will want to hear from you, the client, in addition to your lawyer. This is particularly true with suspensions that deal with substance abuse problems. The Board does not want to be responsible for putting someone back on the road that they do not believe is genuine in what they are telling them.
Having been through hundreds of RMV hearings, I can tell you that this is a complicated and confusing process. It's better if you know exactly what to expect and the best way to answer questions. If you are represented by the Law Office of Mike Rusconi, you will also know to do various other things before you appear before the Board.
Walking into a Board of Appeal hearing alone is not a smart move.
You will only get one shot, so you better make it count. Here at The Law Office of Michael S. Rusconi, we have a proven track record with respect to Board of Appeal hearings. Contact us today, so we can discuss your case, and what is needed to give the you the best chance for relief.