Farrington v. Department of Motor Vehicles

272 Cal. App. 2d 330, 77 Cal. Rptr. 388, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2279
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 28, 1969
DocketCiv. 9057
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 272 Cal. App. 2d 330 (Farrington 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
Farrington v. Department of Motor Vehicles, 272 Cal. App. 2d 330, 77 Cal. Rptr. 388, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2279 (Cal. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

McCABB, P. J.

This is an appeal by the Department of Motor Vehicles from a judgment granting petitioner James Farrington a peremptory writ of mandate compelling the vacation of the order suspending petitioner’s driver’s license.

The record reveals that there was filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles (Department) a sworn declaration by an arresting officer, under section 13353 of the Vehicle Code, setting forth that on March 5, 1967, petitioner Farrington had refused to take any of the three tests therein provided for, and that the other requirements of the statute had been met as the basis for an order suspending petitioner’s license for six months. On March 20, 1967, the Department suspended petitioner’s license for six months effective April 3,1967.

Petitioner thereafter made a timely request for an informal hearing and the order of suspension was stayed pending the hearing. The hearing was held on April 27, 1967, and on May 3, 1967, petitioner was advised that the Department had completed its review of the file and of the informal hearing and found that the suspension was proper. The stay order was vacated and the order suspending petitioner’s driving privilege became effective June 1, 1967. Petitioner then filed a petition for writ of mandate in the superior court.

After the hearing of the petition for a writ of mandate, the trial court entered findings of fact, conclusions of law and “judgment” which ordered the issuance of a peremptory writ of mandate. In the preamble to the findings of fact and conclusions, the court stated: ‘1 The court having received in evidence the transcript of the administrative proceedings before the Department of Motor Vehicles and the affidavit of Officer George W. Smith of the California Highway Patrol, and the court having read all of the papers on file in the action including the written briefs filed by both parties, and the matter having been orally argued and submitted and the court being fully advised in the premises, the court now makes the following:

*332 “III. At the time of his arrest, petitioner was advised of his right to counsel.
“IV. Petitioner refused to submit to a chemical test until he could call his attorney.
“VII. That portion of respondent’s [D.MLV.] finding No. 3 [(3) James P. Farrington refused to submit to a test of blood, breath or urine to determine the alcoholic content] which finds that petitioner refused to submit to a test of blood, breath or urine to determine the alcoholic content is not supported by the weight of the evidence.
“Bach and every other finding made by respondent is supported by the weight of the evidence and this court finds as a fact the matters set forth in such other findings.
Conclusions op Law
“II. Petitioner has no right to counsel when asked to submit to one of the chemical tests specified by Vehicle Code, Section 13353.
“III. Petitioner’s request to call his attorney when asked to submit to one of the chemical tests specified by Vehicle Code, section 13353, after being advised of his right to counsel when arrested, did not constitute a refusal within the meaning of Vehicle Code, section 13353, Vehicle Code, section 13353(b).
“IV. Respondent committed a prejudicial abuse of discretion within the meaning of Code of Civil Procedure, section 1094.5(b), in that respondent’s findings are not supported by the evidence as found in this court’s finding of fact number VII.”

We ordered the record augmented to include the “transcript” of the administrative proceedings, the affidavit of Officer Smith, and a transcript of the proceedings at the hearing on the petition for writ of mandate. We are informed that the “transcript” referred to by the trial judge is the same as that attached to and incorporated as Exhibit I to the “Return by Way of Answer” to the petition for the writ; that the officer’s affidavit is Exhibit II to the answer [the sworn. declaration]; and no reporter was present at the proceedings in the trial court. From the record before us, it must be concluded the “transcript” consists of the report made by the hearing officer after the informal hearing. The “transcript” ' contains a summation of the evidence, findings, and the hearing officer’s recommendation. In the summation of the evidence,' there is no indication that petitioner testified. Peti *333 tioner’s attorney stated to the hearing officer: “. . . we’re willing to stipulate and agree it is true that Mr. Farrington was under the influence of intoxicating liquor and the officer had reasonable cause to believe that he was at the time of the arrest and that the arrest was lawful. I would expect to introduce that the officer informed Mr. Farrington, both at the scene and later, that Mr. Farrington had a right to an attorney and a right to have the attorney present at all stages or provide an attorney at the tax payers’ expense. He was willing to submit to a chemical test but was not permitted to place a telephone call to his attorney to have him present or advise him which chemical test to take. ’ ’

It does appear from the transcript that Officer Smith testified, and identified his sworn statement under section 13353, Vehicle Code. This statement became part of the evidence before the hearing officer. Petitioner’s attorney was given the opportunity to question Officer Smith.

In that portion of the “transcript” which for convenience we describe as the summation of the evidence, petitioner’s attorney stipulated that at the time of the arrest petitioner was under the influence of intoxicating liquor and the arresting officer had reasonable cause to believe this and the arrest was legal. During this questioning it was disclosed that petitioner was stopped at approximately 12:15 a.m. He was advised of his rights and then the questions were read to him from a printed form regarding taking a chemical test and the consequences if he should refuse. The booking was complete at approximately 1:30 a.m. and petitioner was not permitted to make a telephone call prior to that time. Petitioner’s attorney stated to the hearing officer that “petitioner’s defense was based on the fact that the subject was not permitted to have an attorney present before taking any chemical test. ’ ’ Other pertinent portions of the findings in the “transcript” are: “During the hearing I told Attorney Milligan that the evidence as offered to prove that the subject failed to do an act to which he had previously consented by driving a motor vehicle upon a highway, as such it does not affect his right against self-incrimination for which he is entitled to counsel. He said he was aware of that, but subject was not permitted to make a telephone call to his attorney. He was willing to submit to a test, but should have been granted permission to call his attorney to either have him present or to advise him which test to take. ’ ’

The hearing officer concluded, “(3) James P. Farrington *334 refused to submit to a test of blood, breath or urine to determine the alcoholic content. ’ ’

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Lampman v. Department of Motor Vehicles
28 Cal. App. 3d 922 (California Court of Appeal, 1972)
Goodman v. Orr
19 Cal. App. 3d 845 (California Court of Appeal, 1971)
Rees v. Department of Motor Vehicles
8 Cal. App. 3d 746 (California Court of Appeal, 1970)
Plumb v. Department of Motor Vehicles
1 Cal. App. 3d 256 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)
Walker v. Department of Motor Vehicles
274 Cal. App. 2d 793 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
272 Cal. App. 2d 330, 77 Cal. Rptr. 388, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2279, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farrington-v-department-of-motor-vehicles-calctapp-1969.