PHILADELPHIA — A traffic judge apologized to a man who had been hounded for 17 years by officials trying to get his similarly named twin brother to resolve $1,800 in unpaid tickets and fines.

The problems all started for 40-year-old Edward Stanley Harris between October 1990 and May 1991. Over that period, his twin brother, Edwin Shelby Harris, received eight tickets for moving violations.

Edwin Harris pleaded guilty in Philadelphia Traffic Court in September 1991 and was ordered to pay $1,501. But Edwin never paid. He hit hard times, drifted south and lost touch with his brother.

In the fall of 1992, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation gave Edward Harris a painful reminder of his twin: The agency, confusing him with his brother, told him his license would be suspended for nonpayment of tickets.

Eventually, PennDOT got things cleared up and withdrew the suspension threat. But Edward's fight against bureaucracy was only just beginning.