The Short Version
The principle stated in the claim is well-established across tort law. Primary legal authorities—including state statutes, federal appellate decisions, and academic scholarship—consistently hold that tort liability depends on fault, control, permission, agency, or a specific vicarious-liability doctrine, not on the mere administrative act of identifying a registered owner. While some jurisdictions treat registration as prima facie evidence that can shift the burden of proof, this rebuttable presumption is procedural, not a determination of substantive tortfeasor status.