Brierton v. Department of Motor Vehicles

30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 275, 130 Cal. App. 4th 499
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 30, 2005
DocketD044120
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 275 (Brierton v. Department of Motor Vehicles) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brierton v. Department of Motor Vehicles, 30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 275, 130 Cal. App. 4th 499 (Cal. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinions

Opinion

AARON, J.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Appellant John Greenwood Brierton appeals from a judgment in the trial court denying his petition for a writ of mandate. The trial court denied Brierton’s request that the court issue a writ of mandate to prohibit the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from suspending his driver’s license as a result of his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol in violation of Vehicle Code section 23152.

Brierton contends that the DMV may not suspend his license because the arresting officer did not have reasonable suspicion to stop him on the night of July 30, 2003. Brierton also argues that the arresting officer did not have the authority to stop or arrest Brierton on a City of San Diego (City) street because (a) the stop and arrest took place outside of the territorial jurisdiction granted to campus police officers by state statutes and/or (b) the state statutes granting campus police officers authority to enforce laws beyond campus [505]*505boundaries unconstitutionally conflict with the enforcement powers of a charter city. We disagree with Brierton’s contentions and aflBrm the trial court’s denial of his petition for a writ of mandate.

II.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. Factual background

On July 30, 2003, at 1:31 a.m., San Diego State University (SDSU) Police Officer D. Miller observed Brierton accelerate and lose traction for “approximately 20-25 feet” while driving in the 5100 block of College Avenue. Officer Miller stopped Brierton to investigate a possible violation of Vehicle Code section 23109, subdivision (c) (exhibition of speed).1

After approaching Brierton and making contact, Officer Miller observed that Brierton’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, and that he had gaze nystagmus.2 Officer Miller detected an odor of alcohol, and observed that Brierton’s gait was unsteady and his speech was slurred—all of which Miller testified constitute objective signs of intoxication. Thereafter, Officer Miller arrested Brierton for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Brierton submitted to a breathalyzer test and provided two samples. The first sample, taken at 2:55 a.m., registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent. The second sample, taken two minutes later, also registered a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.15 percent.3 As a result of the arrest and breathalyzer test results, the DMV suspended Brierton’s driving privileges as of July 30, 2003.

[506]*506B. Administrative proceedings before the DMV

At Brierton’s request, an administrative per se hearing was held on September 12, 2003, to determine whether the DMV’s suspension of Brierton’s license was justified.4 The issues to be addressed at the hearing were (1) whether Officer Miller had reason to believe Brierton was driving in violation of Vehicle Code section 23152 or section 23153; (2) whether the arrest was lawful; and (3) whether Brierton had been driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more. The DMV stayed the suspension of Brierton’s driving privileges pending the outcome of the hearing.

A hearing officer conducted the hearing on behalf of the DMV. Brierton, his attorney, and Brierton’s mother were present at the hearing. The hearing officer introduced two exhibits on behalf of the DMV: (1) Officer Miller’s sworn statement set forth on form DS 367, dated July 30, 2003, and (2) a printout of Brierton’s DMV driving record. Both exhibits were entered in evidence without objection. Brierton’s attorney stated that he did not have any evidence to introduce, but that he wanted to present argument. Brierton’s attorney argued that Officer Miller lacked reasonable cause to effect a traffic stop of Brierton on the night of the arrest; that the DMV had not shown that the stop that led to the arrest took place within a mile of the campus—the only noncampus area over which, Brierton argued, Officer Miller had jurisdictional authority to act; and/or that state statutes purporting to grant campus police officers the authority to act beyond campus boundaries unconstitutionally conflict with the law enforcement authority of charter cities.

The DMV issued a notification of findings and decision on September 19, 2003. In the notification of findings and decision, the DMV rejected all of Brierton’s arguments, concluding that (1) the arresting officer had reasonable cause to believe Brierton was driving a vehicle in violation of Vehicle Code section 23140, 23152, or 23153; (2) Brierton was lawfully arrested; and (3) Brierton had been driving a vehicle while having 0.08 percent or more by weight of alcohol in his blood. The DMV reinstituted the suspension of Brierton’s driving privileges.

C. Proceedings in the trial court

On September 24, 2003, Brierton filed a petition for a writ of mandate in the trial court, contending that there was no probable cause for the arrest, and that the campus police officer was acting beyond his territorial jurisdiction in [507]*507arresting Brierton. The trial court denied Brierton’s petition on February 19, 2004. The trial court rejected Brierton’s jurisdictional challenge, concluding that the evidence submitted to the hearing officer was sufficient to meet the DMV’s burden of proof and that there was no competent evidence calling into question Officer Miller’s jurisdiction. Brierton sought reconsideration of the court’s order. The court denied that request on March 9, 2004.

The trial court entered judgment in the matter on March 24, 2004, and filed a notice of entry of judgment on March 30. Brierton filed a notice of appeal from the judgment on April 12, 2004.

D. Proceedings before this court

Brierton filed a petition for a writ of supersedeas in this court on April 13, 2004, and sought a temporary stay of the DMV’s suspension of his driving privileges. We denied the request for a temporary stay on April 15, and denied Brierton’s petition for a writ of supersedeas on April 28.

m.

DISCUSSION

Brierton raises two principal contentions in support of his argument that the court should prohibit the DMV from suspending his driver’s license. First, Brierton argues that the DMV may not suspend his license because the arresting officer did not have reasonable suspicion to stop Brierton on the night of July 30, 2003. Second, Brierton argues that the arresting officer did not have the authority to stop or to arrest Brierton on a city street.

A. Standards of review

A driver served with a DMV suspension notice is entitled to a hearing on request. (Veh. Code, § 13558, subd. (a); see also Veh. Code, § 14100, subd. (c) [right to request hearing “shall be made prominent on the notice” of suspension or revocation].) The administrative hearing is held before either the director of the DMV, a hearing board, or a department hearing officer. (Veh. Code, § 14104.2, subd. (a).) At a hearing to review the DMV’s suspension of a driver’s license as a result of an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol, the sole issues to be determined by the hearing officer are whether “(A) ...

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Brierton v. Department of Motor Vehicles
30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 275 (California Court of Appeal, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
30 Cal. Rptr. 3d 275, 130 Cal. App. 4th 499, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brierton-v-department-of-motor-vehicles-calctapp-2005.