Anthony Shuba, Appellant v. George J. Greendonner, Respondent; Donald Bucher, Appellant, v. George J. Greendonner…

Summary

The Court of Appeals reversed the lower courts, holding that a vehicle's registration in a person's name is prima facie evidence of ownership that cannot be rebutted to avoid liability, and therefore the trial court erred in submitting the ownership question to the jury. The decision rests on New York public policy favoring identification of owners and the application of New York vehicle statutes to out‑of‑state registrations.