Alvarado v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation

2019 ND 231

Opinion

)LOHGE\&OHUNRI6XSUHPH&RXUW ,17+(6835(0(&2857 67$7(2)1257+'$.27$

1'

(ZHU1$OYDUDGR $SSHOOHH

Y

1RUWK'DNRWD'HSDUWPHQWRI7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ $SSHOODQW

1R

$SSHDOIURPWKH'LVWULFW&RXUWRI'XQQ&RXQW\6RXWKZHVW-XGLFLDO'LVWULFW WKH+RQRUDEOH-DPHV'*LRQ-XGJH

$)),50('

2SLQLRQRIWKH&RXUWE\-HQVHQ-XVWLFH

&KDG50F&DEH%LVPDUFN1'IRUDSSHOOHH

'RXJODV % $QGHUVRQ $VVLVWDQW $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO %LVPDUFN 1' IRU DSSHOODQW $OYDUDGRY1''HS¶W2I7UDQVS 1R

-HQVHQ-XVWLFH >ˆ@ 7KH1RUWK'DNRWD'HSDUWPHQWRI7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ 1''27 DSSHDOVIURPD GLVWULFWFRXUWMXGJPHQWUHYHUVLQJDQDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHU VGHFLVLRQUHYRNLQJ $OYDUDGR¶V GULYLQJ SULYLOHJHV IRU D SHULRG RI  GD\V  1''27 DUJXHV WKDW WKH GLVWULFWFRXUWHUUHGLQILQGLQJWKDWDSDUWLDOUHDGLQJRIWKHLPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\ UHQGHUHG$OYDUDGR¶VUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVWLQYDOLG2XUVWDWXWHVUHTXLUH DQRSHUDWRUWRUHIXVHDUHTXHVW³WRVXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ´$UHTXHVW IRU WHVWLQJ SUHFHGHG E\ DQ LQFRPSOHWH RU LQDFFXUDWH DGYLVRU\ LV QRW D UHTXHVW ³WR VXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ´:HDIILUPWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWUHYHUVHWKH GHFLVLRQ RI WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYH KHDULQJ RIILFHU DQG UHLQVWDWH $OYDUDGR¶V GULYLQJ SULYLOHJHV >ˆ@ 7KHIDFWVRIWKLVFDVHDUHQRWLQGLVSXWH$OYDUDGRZDVVWRSSHGIRUDWUDIILF YLRODWLRQ  $OYDUDGR ZDV VXEVHTXHQWO\ DUUHVWHG IRU GULYLQJ XQGHU WKH LQIOXHQFH )ROORZLQJ KLV DUUHVW $OYDUDGR ZDV UHDG D SDUWLDO LPSOLHG FRQVHQW DGYLVRU\  7KH SDUWLDODGYLVRU\IDLOHGWRLQIRUPKLPWKDWUHIXVLQJWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWFRXOGEH WUHDWHGDVDFULPH$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVW$WLVVXHLVZKHWKHU $OYDUDGR¶VUHIXVDOFDQEHGHWHUPLQHGWRKDYHEHHQDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU 1'&&†ZKHQKHZDVQRWSURYLGHGZLWKWKHFRPSOHWHLPSOLHGFRQVHQW DGYLVRU\DVSURYLGHGE\1'&&† >ˆ@ $OYDUDGRDUJXHVWKDWDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJUHTXLUHVDUHTXHVW IRUWHVWLQJXQGHU1'&&†DQG1'&&†UHTXLUHVDFRPSOHWH LPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\SUHFHGHDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ$OYDUDGRUHOLHVRQRXUSULRU RSLQLRQLQThrolson v. BackesWRVXSSRUWKLVDVVHUWLRQWKDWDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQW ZDUQLQJLVDQLQYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJDQGSUHYHQWVDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWDQRSHUDWRU KDVUHIXVHGDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ1:G 1' See also State v. Bauer1'ˆ1:GGardner v. N.D. Dep't. of Transp.



1'ˆ1:G,QThrolsonZHREVHUYHG³>L@WLVD[LRPDWLFWKDW EHIRUHWKHUHFDQEHDµUHIXVDO¶WRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU6HFWLRQWKHUHPXVW EHDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWH´Throlson1:GDW:H KDYHIXUWKHUQRWHGWKHIROORZLQJLQWKHFRQWH[WRIGHWHUPLQLQJZKHWKHUDQRSHUDWRUKDV UHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVW $QDUUHVWE\LWVHOILVQRWHQRXJKWRWULJJHUWKHUHTXLUHGWHVWLQJXQGHU 1'&&7KHDUUHVWLQJRIILFHUPXVWDOVRLQIRUPWKHGULYHUWKDW KHLVRUZLOOEHFKDUJHGZLWKGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFHRUEHLQJLQ DFWXDOSK\VLFDOFRQWUROSeeThrolson v. Backes1:G 1'  KROGLQJIDLOXUHWRLQIRUPGULYHUDERXWDOFRKROFKDUJHXSRQ DUUHVW PDGH WHVW UHTXHVW XQGHU 1'&&  LQHIIHFWLYH   +HUH +ROWHQHYHULQIRUPHG6FRWWWKDWKHZDVRUZRXOGEHFKDUJHGZLWKDQ DOFRKRO RIIHQVH DQG WKH RIILFHU GLG QRW GLUHFW D WHVW XQGHU 1'&&  Scott v. N.D. DOT1:G 1'  >ˆ@ 7KHSHQDOW\RIUHYRFDWLRQRIDQRSHUDWRU¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUUHIXVLQJWR VXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVLPSRVHGE\1'&&†,WSURYLGHVWKDWWKH SHQDOW\RIUHYRFDWLRQLVLPSRVHG³>L@IDSHUVRQUHIXVHVWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU VHFWLRQ´DQGUHYRFDWLRQLVLPSRVHGZKHQLWKDVEHHQGHWHUPLQHG³WKHSHUVRQ KDGUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRWKHWHVWRUWHVWVXQGHUVHFWLRQ´7KHXQDPELJXRXV ODQJXDJH RI  1'&& †  UHTXLUHV D UHTXHVW IRU D WHVW EH PDGH XQGHU 1'&& †   $GGLWLRQDOO\ WKH VWDWXWRU\ JXLGDQFH IRU FRQGXFWLQJ WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJVSHFLILFDOO\SURYLGHV³>W@KHVFRSHRIDKHDULQJIRUUHIXVLQJWR VXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ´1'&&† >ˆ@ 2XUSULRUGHFLVLRQVLQThrolsonBauerDQGScottVXSSRUWWKHFRQFOXVLRQWKDW DQRSHUDWRU¶VUHIXVDOLVSUHGLFDWHGXSRQDYDOLGUHTXHVWWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJSXUVXDQW WR 1'&& †   7KH ODQJXDJH RI 1'&& †  UHODWLQJ WR WKH LPSRVLWLRQRIUHYRFDWLRQDVDSHQDOW\DQG1'&&†UHODWLQJWRKRZWKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJLVFRQGXFWHGERWKUHTXLUHDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJEHPDGHXQGHU 1'&&†:HFRQFOXGHWKDWDSUHUHTXLVLWHWRDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWDQ RSHUDWRUKDVUHIXVHGDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJLVILQGLQJWKDWWKHUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJZDV PDGHXQGHU1'&&†



>ˆ@ 7KLV &RXUW UHYLHZV DGPLQLVWUDWLYH DJHQF\ GHFLVLRQV WR VXVSHQG GULYLQJ SULYLOHJHVXQGHU1'&&FKDQG DFFRUGV JUHDWGHIHUHQFHWRWKHDJHQF\¶V GHFLVLRQGuthmiller, v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp1'ˆ1:G7KLV &RXUWPXVWDIILUPDQDJHQF\¶VGHFLVLRQXQOHVV 7KHRUGHULVQRWLQDFFRUGDQFHZLWKWKHODZ  7KHFRQFOXVLRQVRIODZDQGRUGHURIWKHDJHQF\DUHQRW VXSSRUWHGE\LWVILQGLQJVRIIDFW 

Id >ˆ@ 7KHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUIRXQGWKDW$OYDUDGRZDV³UHDGDSDUWLDO LPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\´ZKLFK³GLGQRWLQIRUP0U$OYDUDGRWKDWUHIXVDORIWKH FKHPLFDOEUHDWKWHVWZDVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVD'8,´7KH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUWKHUHDIWHUFRQFOXGHG$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWR WHVWLQJ >ˆ@ :HKDYHFRQFOXGHGWKHOHJLVODWXUHXQDPELJXRXVO\UHTXLUHGDUHTXHVWIRUD UHIXVDOEHSUHFHGHGE\DUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJPDGHLQFRPSOLDQFHZLWK1'&&† :KLOHWKLV&RXUWKDVDOORZHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWWRGHYLDWHIURPDYHUEDWLP UHDGLQJRIWKHVWDWXWRU\ODQJXDJHRI1'&&†  D ZHGRUHTXLUHWKDW WKHDGYLVRU\FRPPXQLFDWHDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKHVWDWXWHSeeState v. Vigen1'ˆ1:Gsee also Korb v. N.D. Dep't of Transp. 1'ˆ1:G ILQGLQJWKDW1'&&†  D SURYLGHV WKHPDQGDWRU\ODQJXDJHWKDWPXVWEHLQFOXGHGLQWKHDGYLVRU\ %HFDXVH$OYDUDGR ZDVRQO\SURYLGHGZLWKDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQWZDUQLQJ KHZDVQRWLQIRUPHGWKDW UHIXVLQJWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWFRXOGEHWUHDWHGDVD³FULPH´ WKHUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ ZDVQHLWKHULQFRPSOLDQFH ZLWK1'&&†QRUVXIILFLHQWWRUHVXOWLQD UHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJ:HWKHUHIRUHFRQFOXGHWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHGHWHUPLQDWLRQ WKDW$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVHLWKHUQRWLQFRPSOLDQFHZLWKWKHODZ RUQRWVXSSRUWHGE\WKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHILQGLQJV



>ˆ@ $ UHTXHVW WR VXEPLW WR WHVWLQJ PXVW EH PDGH LQ DFFRUGDQFH WR 1'&& † WRVXSSRUWDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWWKHUHKDVEHHQDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJ XQGHU1'&&†$UHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJVXEVHTXHQWWRDSDUWLDOLPSOLHG FRQVHQWZDUQLQJLVQRWDUHTXHVWWRWHVWXQGHU1'&&†:HDIILUPWKH GLVWULFWFRXUWUHYHUVHWKHGHFLVLRQRIWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUDQGUHLQVWDWH $OYDUDGR¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHV >ˆ@ -RQ--HQVHQ -HURG(7XIWH /LVD)DLU0F(YHUV

,&RQFXULQWKHUHVXOW 'DQLHO-&URWKHUV

9DQGH:DOOH&KLHI-XVWLFHFRQFXUULQJVSHFLDOO\ >ˆ@ 6HFWLRQ   D  1'&& UHTXLUHV VSHFLILF LQIRUPDWLRQ EH FRPPXQLFDWHGE\ODZHQIRUFHPHQWZKHQUHTXHVWLQJDQLQGLYLGXDODUUHVWHGIRUGULYLQJ XQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFHVXEPLWWRFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJState v. Vigen1'ˆ 1:G,QDGGLWLRQWRLQIRUPLQJLQGLYLGXDOVWKDW1RUWK'DNRWDODZUHTXLUHVWKHP WR WDNH D FKHPLFDO WHVW WKH VWDWXWH PDQGDWHV WKDW ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RIILFHUV ³VKDOO LQIRUPWKHLQGLYLGXDOUHIXVDOWRWDNHDEUHDWKRUXULQHWHVWLVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKH VDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH´1'&&†  D %HIRUHD FKHPLFDOWHVWPD\EHDGPLQLVWHUHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWPXVWUHDGWKH³FRPSOHWHLPSOLHG FRQVHQWDGYLVRU\´State v. O’Connor1'ˆ1:G)RUDQ DGYLVRU\WREHFRQVLGHUHG³FRPSOHWH´DOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQLQWKHVWDWXWHPXVW EHFRPPXQLFDWHGWRWKHLQGLYLGXDOVigenDWˆ³,WLVD[LRPDWLFWKDWEHIRUHWKHUHFDQ EH D µUHIXVDO¶ WR VXEPLW WR WHVWLQJ XQGHU 6HFWLRQ  WKHUH PXVW EH D YDOLG UHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWH´Gardner v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp.1' ˆ1:G quoting Throlson v. Backes1:G 1'  see alsoState v. Bauer1'ˆ1:G >ˆ@ :KLOHWKLV&RXUWKDVDOORZHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWWRGHYLDWHIURPDYHUEDWLP UHDGLQJRIWKHVWDWXWRU\ODQJXDJHRI1'&&†  D ZHGRUHTXLUHWKDWWKH



DGYLVRU\FRPPXQLFDWHDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKHVWDWXWHSee Vigen1' ˆ1:Gsee also Korb v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp.1'ˆ 1:G ILQGLQJWKDW1'&&†  D SURYLGHVWKHPDQGDWRU\ ODQJXDJHWKDWPXVWEHLQFOXGHGLQWKHDGYLVRU\ ,IDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKH VWDWXWHLVQRWFRPPXQLFDWHGDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWHGRHVQRW RFFXU:LWKRXWDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJLQFOXGLQJDYDOLGDGYLVRU\WKHUHFDQEHQR UHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU1'&&†See Gardner1' ˆ1:G >ˆ@ ,QO’ConnorDQRIILFHUSURYLGHGDQLQGLYLGXDO³ZLWKDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQW DGYLVRU\ZKLFKIDLOHGWRLQIRUPKLPWKDWUHIXVDOWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWµLVDFULPH SXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH¶´ O’Connor1' ˆ1:G quoting 1'&&†  D :HGHWHUPLQHGWKDW XQGHUWKHSODLQWHUPVRI1'&&†  E WHVWUHVXOWVREWDLQHGIROORZLQJ DQLQFRPSOHWHDGYLVRU\ZHUHLQDGPLVVLEOHLQDFULPLQDOSURFHHGLQJIRUGULYLQJXQGHU WKHLQIOXHQFHId7KH&RXUWDOVRGLVFXVVHGWKHLQDGPLVVLELOLW\RIYROXQWDU\WHVWUHVXOWV ZKHUHDSURSHULPSOLHGFRQVHQWDJUHHPHQWLVQRWUHDGIdDWˆ7KHSODLQODQJXDJH RI1'&&†  D UHTXLUHVDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJEHIRUHDQ\QH[WVWHSV FDQRFFXUZKHWKHUWKDWEHDQLQGLYLGXDOFRQVHQWLQJWRRUUHIXVLQJFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJ >ˆ@ +HUHWKHUHLVQRGLVSXWHWKDWWKHGHSXW\UHDG$OYDUDGRDQLQFRPSOHWHLPSOLHG FRQVHQWDGYLVRU\/LNHLQO’ConnorWKHGHSXW\LQWKLVFDVHIDLOHGWRLQIRUP$OYDUDGR WKDWUHIXVDOWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJ XQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH7KHRQO\GLIIHUHQFHLVWKDW$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRWDNHWKHWHVW ZKHUH 2¶&RQQRU FRQVHQWHG See O’Connor  1'  ˆ   1:G  9DQGH:DOOH&-FRQFXUULQJVSHFLDOO\  ³,XQGHUVWDQGWKDWKDGWKHSHUVRQUHIXVHG WRWDNHWKHWHVWDQGEHHQFRQYLFWHGDQGSXQLVKHGLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHU WKHLQIOXHQFHWKHSHUVRQFRXOGYHU\ZHOOKDYHEHHQGLVDGYDQWDJHGE\WKHDGYLVRU\LQ WKLVLQVWDQFH´ :KLOHWKHO’ConnorGHFLVLRQZDVEDVHGSULPDULO\XSRQWKHH[FOXVLRQ UHPHG\LQ1'&&†  E WKHODFNRIDQHTXLYDOHQWVWDWXWHDGGUHVVLQJ UHIXVDOGRHVQRWSUHFOXGHUHOLHI,QVWHDGUHOLHILVJUDQWHGQRWE\H[FOXGLQJWHVWUHVXOWV



EXW IURP UHFRJQL]LQJ WKDW IRU D UHIXVDO RI D FKHPLFDO WHVW WR EH YDOLG LW PXVW EH SUHFHGHGE\DYDOLGUHTXHVWSee Gardner1'ˆ1:G >ˆ@ 7KH'HSDUWPHQWFRQWHQGVWKDW$OYDUDGRRQO\QHHGHGWREHLQIRUPHGRIWKH FRQVHTXHQFHVRIWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHSURFHHGLQJLQRUGHUIRUKLVUHIXVDOWREHYDOLGDQG WKDW WKH OHJLVODWXUH VSHFLILFDOO\ GLG QRW SURYLGH D UHPHG\ IRU DQ LQGLYLGXDO ZKR UHIXVHV7KLVDVVHUWLRQFRQWUDGLFWVWKHSODLQPHDQLQJRI1'&&†  D  )XUWKHUPRUHRQHRIWKHSXUSRVHVRIWKHLPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\LVWRHQFRXUDJH LQGLYLGXDOV WR WDNH WKH FKHPLFDO WHVWV DQG EHLQJ LQIRUPHG RI SRWHQWLDO FULPLQDO VDQFWLRQVPD\SHUVXDGHVRPHLQGLYLGXDOVWKDWZRXOGRWKHUZLVHUHIXVHWHVWLQJ2QO\ SURYLGLQJ WKH SDUW RI WKH DGYLVRU\ UHODWHG WR DGPLQLVWUDWLYH SHQDOWLHV LJQRUHV WKH OHJLVODWXUH¶VLQWHQWWRHQFRXUDJHWHVWLQJ7KHOHJLVODWXUHFUHDWHGVSHFLILFZDUQLQJVWKDW PXVW EH UHDG LQ RUGHU IRU WKH LPSOLHG FRQVHQW DGYLVRU\ WR EH YDOLG 1HLWKHU WKH 'HSDUWPHQWQRUODZHQIRUFHPHQWKDYHWKHDXWKRULW\WRGHFLGHZKDWW\SHRISHQDOWLHV ZKHWKHUFULPLQDORUDGPLQLVWUDWLYHDQLQGLYLGXDOPD\UHFHLYHEDVHGRQZKDWSDUWRI WKHDGYLVRU\DQRIILFHUFKRRVHVWRUHDG >ˆ@ *HUDOG:9DQGH:DOOH&-