Hearing Officer Dawn Grace Jones presided over the City of Miami’s ticketing appellate hearings, where dozens of property-related civil violation cases were resolved by agreement or marked as failures to appear.

Jones told attendees the hearings are “conducted in a quasi judicial manner,” that all testimony is taken under oath and that her role is to determine whether the violation occurred and whether the person named on the notice is responsible. She said parties who enter an agreement will sign two copies of the order and were given written payment instructions at the podium.

Most appearances ended in signed agreements in which the person present acknowledged the violation and agreed to pay an assessed civil fine. Examples recorded on the hearing record include: Lavita Allman (case 125150, 3075 Jefferson Street) agreeing to pay $250; William Frometa (case 0131938, 6315 Southwest Eighth Street) agreeing to pay $250; Adam Varga (case 123100, 1801 Northwest Second Court and case 125659, 1804 Northwest First Place) agreeing to pay $250 in multiple matters; Kenny Portell (case 131627, 1420 Northwest 20 Sixth Avenue) agreeing to pay $250; Margaret Lucette (case 13345, 95 Northwest 30 Eighth Street) agreeing to pay $250; Robert Gonzales (case 84423, 2828 Southwest 30 Second Avenue) agreeing to pay $250; Pascal Nicole (case 125170, 3090 Kirk Street) agreeing to pay $250; Renee Cuenca/Contreras (case 114800, 1492 Northwest 20 Seventh Street) agreeing to pay $250; Herschel Smith (case 106012, 1274 Northwest 30 Ninth Street) agreeing to pay $100; and Rahema Golding (case 132037, 4652 Northeast 80 Fifth Street) agreeing to pay $150. Participants were repeatedly instructed to sign two copies and leave one on file with the city.

Several cases were recorded as “no show” and entered on the record as upheld by the hearing officer. The hearing officer read a list of failure-to-appear cases and stated: “All of the failure to appears that have been read on record are upheld.” Examples indicated on the record included case 104742 (4412 Northwest North River Drive), case 112220 (227 Northeast Second Street), case 121394 (1811 Northeast Tenth Court) and case 132732 (8225 Northeast Fifth Avenue). A number of other cases were reset or voided where staff indicated notice or power-of-attorney issues.

Clerical instructions and payment logistics were repeated several times. Jones and staff told attendees that written instructions to pay are available at the podium and noted one announcement that payment could not be accepted until the following week; attendees were instructed to obtain and keep the city’s copy of the signed order.

No formal record in the transcript reflects contested evidentiary rulings or a full trial on the record for any case during the session. The hearing officer and staff moved through scheduled items, noting several matters were continued, reset, or voided where appropriate, and asked some defendants to confirm power-of-attorney documents before proceeding.

Votes at a glance (cases called on the hearing record):
- Case 125150 — 3075 Jefferson Street — Lavita Allman — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved (ordered/agreement signed).
- Case 0131938 — 6315 Southwest Eighth Street — William Frometa — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 123100 — 1801 Northwest Second Court — Adam Varga (property manager, POA) — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 123678 — 1801 Northwest Second Court — Adam Varga — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 13345 — 95 Northwest 30 Eighth Street — Margaret Lucette — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 84423 — 2828 Southwest 30 Second Avenue — Robert Gonzales — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 125170 — 3090 Kirk Street — Pascal Nicole — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 114800 — 1492 Northwest 20 Seventh Street — Renee Cuenca/Contreras (Crazy Doctor Corp) — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 131627 — 1420 Northwest 20 Sixth Avenue — Kenny Portell (owner, KLM Investment LLC) — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 125659 — 1804 Northwest First Place — Adam Varga — agreement; ordered to pay $250; outcome: approved.
- Case 106012 — 1274 Northwest 30 Ninth Street — Herschel Smith — agreement; ordered to pay $100; outcome: approved.
- Case 132037 — 4652 Northeast 80 Fifth Street — Rahema Golding — agreement; ordered to pay $150; outcome: approved.
- Case 104742 — 4412 Northwest North River Drive — no show — upheld (failure to appear); outcome: approved (upheld on record).
- Case 112220 — 227 Northeast Second Street — no show — upheld; outcome: approved.
- Case 121394 — 1811 Northeast Tenth Court — no show — upheld; outcome: approved.
- Case 132732 — 8225 Northeast Fifth Avenue (North Shore) — no show — upheld; outcome: approved.
- Case 132222 — 451 Northeast Fifth Street — no show — upheld; outcome: approved.
- Several matters were reset, voided or continued for notice or power-of-attorney issues; those were recorded on the docket and deferred per staff instructions.

The hearing adjourned after staff finished calling the remaining items and attendees signed the agreed orders. Jones reminded attendees of the appellate option: a party may seek review by the circuit court’s appellate division within 30 days of receiving an order, as noted on the record.

Ending

The session concluded with the hearing officer adjourning the docket after agreements were signed and the list of failures to appear was read into the record. Staff directed participants with unresolved procedural issues (voids, resets, power-of-attorney verification) to follow up at the clerk’s table before leaving.