Commonwealth v. Fisher

74 S.W.3d 750, 2001 Ky. App. LEXIS 55, 2001 WL 433391
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedApril 27, 2001
DocketNo. 1999-CA-000947-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 74 S.W.3d 750 (Commonwealth v. Fisher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Fisher, 74 S.W.3d 750, 2001 Ky. App. LEXIS 55, 2001 WL 433391 (Ky. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

JOHNSON, Judge:

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing has appealed from a summary judgment entered by the McCracken Circuit Court on March 23, 1999, regarding the driver’s license of appellee, John Fisher. Having concluded that the trial court correctly interpreted and applied Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 186.560(5), we affirm.

Fisher was convicted in the Marshall Circuit Court on July 23, 1998, of six counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree.1 On September 10, 1998, he was given a 10-year prison sentence, which was probated. The six separate counts of wanton endangerment were based on the fact that six different individuals were injured in a two-car collision [752]*752caused by Fisher’s wanton conduct. Fisher was indicted on October 17, 1997, on five counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree related to the automobile collision occurring on September 20,1997; and he was indicted a second time on July 20, 1998, on one additional count of wanton endangerment in the first degree related to the same automobile collision.2

Following his sentencing, Fisher received a letter from the Transportation Cabinet dated September 17, 1998, advising him that based on his six convictions his privilege to operate a motor vehicle in Kentucky had been “withdrawn in accordance with state law” until July 23, 2000, a period of two years. Fisher wrote the Cabinet on October 2, 1998, stating: “In accordance with KRS 186.570(8), I am requesting a hearing to review the length of withdrawal of driving privileges which is mandatory for a felony conviction in which a motor vehicle is involved KRS 186.560(5).”3 The Cabinet responded to Fisher in a letter dated October 22, 1998, and stated: “Felony-motor vehicle involved is a mandatory conviction under KRS 186.560(l)(d). Therefore, you are not eligible for an administrative hearing.”

On November 23, 1998, Fisher, who resided in McCracken County, filed a pro se complaint against the Cabinet in McCracken Circuit Court asking that the Cabinet “be restrained from imposing a suspension period against [him] ... in excess of the six months for a first time offender as mandated by the legislature.” Following Fisher’s motion for summary judgment and the Cabinet’s response, the trial court entered a summary judgment in favor of Fisher. The trial court ordered the Cabinet “to rescind its decision to impose a two year suspension, recall the habitual violator set-up, and accept the six month suspension already served.” This appeal followed.

The Cabinet first claims that the McCracken Circuit Court lacked jurisdiction to grant Fisher relief because Fisher “failed to exhaust administrative remedies as required by KRS [ ] 13B.140.” While the record below shows no indication of the Cabinet having raised this issue before the circuit court and while the Cabinet has failed to comply with the requirement of CR 4 76.12(4)(e)(iv) that it provide “a statement with reference to the record showing whether the issue was properly preserved for review and, if so, in what manner[,]” we assume the Cabinet is relying on the established rule that the issue of jurisdiction can be raised for the first time on appeal.5 However, we agree with Fisher [753]*753that since the Cabinet refused his request for a hearing,6 he was left with no alternative but to seek relief from circuit court.

Furthermore, the Cabinet’s position on appeal is inconsistent with the position it took below. In its correspondence with Fisher denying his request for an administrative hearing, the Cabinet cited to the mandatory nature of KRS 186.560(l)(d), which provides: “The cabinet shall forthwith revoke the license of any operator of a motor vehicle upon receiving record of his conviction of any of the following offenses: ... (d) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used[.]” We believe the Cabinet’s previous position that an offender under KRS 186.560(l)(d) is not entitled to an administrative hearing is correct. Thus, Fisher did not fail to exhaust his administrative remedies and the circuit court had jurisdiction to grant him relief.7

As to the merits of Fisher’s complaint, the Cabinet argues that “multiple convictions on the same date constitute previous offenses pursuant to KRS 186.560[ ](5).” As mentioned previously, Fisher was convicted under two separate indictments. The second indictment was necessary because one of the victims, who had been a passenger in one of the two vehicles involved in the wreck, had been overlooked and omitted from the first indictment. The Cabinet seizes upon this error and argues that “[i]t must be concluded at a minimum that once the Defendant is convicted under either indictment, this becomes a previous conviction for purposes of his subsequent conviction under [the] remaining indictment.” The Cabinet also argues that it is significant that Fisher was convicted at a jury trial. The Cabinet states:

He was tried by a jury and they convicted him separately on six (6) different counts of wanton endangerment for six (6) different individuals. It only stands to reason that each conviction constitutes a separate offense. Upon the Defendant's conviction of any one offense, when he was convicted on an additional offense, the one prior thereto becomes a previous conviction for purposes of KRS 186.560[ ](5).

To apply KRS 186.560(5) to this case, we must determine the meaning of the phrase “has had more than one (1) previous conviction.” When interpreting a statute, the function of the court is to construe the language so as to give effect to the intent of the Legislature.8 In determining legislative intent, we may not look beyond the language of the statute unless the legislative intent is not discernable from the language used.9 However, a court may not surmise as to what the Legislature intended but did not express.10

[754]*754In interpreting KRS 186.560(5), we accept the sound reasoning of the McCracken Circuit Court as follows:

KRS 186.560(5) specifies mandatory suspension periods and provides enhancement of suspension periods for repeat offenders.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
74 S.W.3d 750, 2001 Ky. App. LEXIS 55, 2001 WL 433391, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-fisher-kyctapp-2001.