Manzano v. Kansas Department of Revenue

324 P.3d 321, 50 Kan. App. 2d 263, 2014 WL 1873420, 2014 Kan. App. LEXIS 28
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedMay 9, 2014
DocketNo. 108,861
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 324 P.3d 321 (Manzano v. Kansas Department of Revenue) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Manzano v. Kansas Department of Revenue, 324 P.3d 321, 50 Kan. App. 2d 263, 2014 WL 1873420, 2014 Kan. App. LEXIS 28 (kanctapp 2014).

Opinions

Leben, J.:

The Kansas implied-consent law provides that a driver’s license may be suspended for a failure to take a blood or [264]*264breath test for alcohol when a law-enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person was driving while intoxicated. But the law also provides hearings that meet constitutional due-process requirements by allowing both an administrative heating before a Kansas Department of Revenue hearing officer and, if unsuccessful there, a new trial before the district court.

The Department of Revenue appeals the district court’s order setting aside the administrative suspension of Israel Manzano’s driver’s license. The district court found that the administrative hearing provided to Manzano had been a sham, thus violating his right to a fair and impartial hearing. The Department has appealed, contending that there was no due-process violation since Man-zano’s license has remained in effect on a temporaiy basis while his appeal has been pending in the courts.

But we agree with the district court that Manzano’s administrative hearing did not provide a meaningful opportunity to present evidence, to explore the issues, or to identify the issues that would be subject to a de novo trial in the district court. Under these circumstances, Manzano’s due-process rights were violated, and the district court entered an appropriate remedy in light of that violation. We therefore affirm the district court’s judgment.

Factual and Procedural Background

On September 30, 2011, Kansas Department of Revenue Administrative Hearing Officer Kent Collins affirmed the agency’s suspension of Manzano’s driver’s license. Manzano was stopped while operating a motor vehicle in Garden City, Kansas, on November 28, 2010. Police Officer David Wheet initiated the traffic stop. Officer Wheet testified at the administrative hearing that he initiated the stop after observing the vehicle accelerate rapidly from a stop sign, squealing the tires. Officer Wheet called Police Officer Oscar Flores to foe scene of the stop because Officer Flores was part of the DUI saturation patrol that night.

Manzano was arrested and charged with a DUI in violation of K.S.A. 2010 Supp. 8-1567. After being given foe required implied-consent advisories, Manzano refused to submit to testing intended to determine foe presence of alcohol or drugs in his body. Officers [265]*265Flores and Wheet filled out the Officer’s Certification and Notice of Suspension form (DC-27) and gave it to Manzano at 3:50 a.m.

Manzano requested an in-person administrative hearing, which was held September 30, 2011, before Administrative Hearing Officer Collins. Manzano and Officers Flores and Wheet were present to testify at the hearing. Counsel began questioning Officer Wheet regarding his investigative report. After a few preliminary questions about when and where Officer Wheet wrote his report, Collins interrupted saying, “Let’s move on. If there’s an issue with the report get to it.” Counsel continued by questioning Wheet about where he and his car were located in relation to where Man-zano was driving. After seven more questions from counsel, Collins again interrupted, “Get to the stop. This is taking way too long.”

After another seven short questions (e.g., “How far back?”; “Were your windows up?”), Collins said, “Let’s get to the actual stop itself.” Counsel asked Wheet why he began following Man-zano. Wheet said that Manzano had “accelerate[d] rapidly” from a stop sign, “squealing the tires.” Counsel then asked whether the officer’s windows were down (“No”) and followed up by asking what die speed limit was at that location.

Collins again interrupted and ruled that Manzano’s attorney could not ask any further questions about how and why the officer conducted a traffic stop: “According to the Martin case [Martin v. Kansas Dept. of Revenue, 285 Kan. 625, 176 P.3d 938 (2008)], that’s as far as we’re going to go with that. Move on to his contact with your client.” Counsel continued by asking Officer Wheet how far he had followed Manzano’s vehicle and if he observed anydiing else. Collins told the attorney to move on: “Let’s go to his contact with your client. . . . Client’s parked in the driveway, the officer stopped, go from there.”

Counsel asked four questions about who was present and then asked where Wheet had turned on his police lights to pull over Manzano in relationship to where Manzano had pulled into his driveway. Collins did not allow Wheet to answer. Collins said, “I don’t care. Go ahead. Next question.” Counsel asked eight more questions about the discussion that Wheet had with Manzano after [266]*266the stop. At that point, Collins said he would only allow 5 more minutes to finish the hearing:

“[Hearing Officer Collins:] Okay, I’m going to give you 5 more minutes to complete this.
“[Counsel:] Well —
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] Then I’m going to make a ruling based on what I’ve heard.
“[Counsel:] Well, wait, I — I have the other officer. I —
“[Healing Officer Collins:] Then you better huny.
“[Counsel:] Well, if we’re behind I can reschedule for a time that you have time. -ui
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] No, we can’t reschedule. We’re going to do it today.
“[Counsel:] Well, it’s going to take me —
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] It’s docketed for 10 minutes.
“[Counsel:] Well, I didn’t docket it for 10.
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] Use tire time as you [see] fit. Just warning you.”

Counsel finished questioning Officer Wheet (15 additional questions) and began questioning Officer Flores. She questioned Officer Flores, uninterrupted, regarding his report, Manzano’s ability to stop the vehicle, Manzano’s ability to speak clearly, and whether there was a videotape of the stop. Officer Flores explained that the written report had some information missing — that he had asked Manzano if he would be willing to go to the Law Enforcement Center to complete an alcohol-related test and that Manzano had said he would. At that point, Collins ended the hearing:

“[Hearing Officer Collins:] “At this time, I’m going to affirm the certification.
“[Counsel:] Um, I’m not done yet, because my client hasn’t testified.
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] No, ma’am. We’re done.
“[Counsel:] We’re not done with the hearing.
“[Hearing Officer Collins:] I said we’re done. (There’s your copy of the order. There’s one for the officers.”

Manzano filed a timely petition for judicial review by the district court. Manzano claimed that tire agency did not have jurisdiction to suspend his license because he did not receive due process of law during die administrative hearing. He also alleged that the procedure and decision-making process of the agency was unlawful and that the agency action was unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
324 P.3d 321, 50 Kan. App. 2d 263, 2014 WL 1873420, 2014 Kan. App. LEXIS 28, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/manzano-v-kansas-department-of-revenue-kanctapp-2014.