Bell v. Burson
United States Supreme Court
402 U.S. 535 (1971)
Paul Bell (plaintiff), a traveling clergyman, was involved in a car accident, and the victims sued him. After a state administrative hearing confirmed Bell's involvement, Robert Burson (defendant), a Georgia official, ordered Bell to either post a security bond covering the victims' claimed damages or have his driver's license suspended until the tort case concluded, without hearing any evidence of Bell's fault. Bell challenged the order, and the Georgia Superior Court ruled for him, but the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court reversed, finding no due-process violation. The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Whether due process is required before a state suspends a driver's license or demands a security bond based solely on a driver's involvement in an accident, without any hearing on fault.