Olson v. JT6HF10u6X0079461

910 N.W.2d 72
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedApril 2, 2018
DocketA17-1083
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 910 N.W.2d 72 (Olson v. JT6HF10u6X0079461) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Olson v. JT6HF10u6X0079461, 910 N.W.2d 72 (Mich. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

KIRK, Judge

In this vehicle-forfeiture appeal, the state challenges the district court's grant of summary judgment to respondents, the driver and the registered owner of a vehicle seized pursuant to the driver's DWI arrest, arguing that the district court erred in concluding that Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), unconstitutionally violates procedural due process. Because we conclude that Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), is unconstitutional as applied here, we affirm.

FACTS

On August 16, 2015, respondent-driver Megan Ashley Olson was arrested for DWI. Megan had three prior DWI convictions and was charged with two counts of felony first-degree DWI under Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.20, subd. 1(1), (5), .24, subd. 1(1) (2014). Because first-degree DWI is a "designated offense," police also seized the vehicle that Megan was driving, a 1999 Lexus, for forfeiture. Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 1(e)(1) (2016). Megan received notice of the seizure and intent to forfeit at the time of her arrest. Megan was the primary driver of the Lexus, but Megan's mother, respondent-owner Helen Olson, is the registered owner. Helen was also served with notice of the seizure and intent to forfeit.

On October 7, 2015, the Olsons filed a demand for judicial determination of the vehicle forfeiture in the form of a civil complaint, and a court trial was set for February 11, 2016. Thereafter, the court trial was continued or rescheduled six times pending the outcome of Megan's related implied-consent and criminal-DWI matters. On May 16, 2016, Megan's driver's license revocation was upheld in her implied-consent case. On October 12, 2016, Megan pleaded guilty to one count of felony first-degree DWI in her criminal case, but she was not convicted until February 13, 2017.

On October 14, 2016, the Olsons moved for summary judgment in the forfeiture action. A hearing was scheduled for December *752016, but was continued until after Megan was sentenced for the DWI at the state's request. A hearing eventually took place in the forfeiture action on February 23, 2017. On May 24, 2017, the court granted the Olsons summary judgment, concluding that Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), does not provide for meaningful review after a prehearing vehicle seizure and therefore violates procedural due process. The court ordered the prompt return of the Lexus. The district court stayed its May 24, 2017 judgment pending the result of this appeal.

ISSUE

Did the district court err in concluding that Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), violates procedural due process and is unconstitutional?

ANALYSIS

I. Standard of Review.

"When the district court grants a summary judgment based on its application of statutory language to the undisputed facts of a case, ... its conclusion is one of law and our review is de novo." Lefto v. Hoggsbreath Enters., Inc. , 581 N.W.2d 855, 856 (Minn. 1998). Whether a statute violates procedural due process is also a question of law subject to de novo review. Sawh v. City of Lino Lakes , 823 N.W.2d 627, 632 (Minn. 2012) ; Williams v. Comm'r of Pub. Safety , 830 N.W.2d 442, 444 (Minn. App. 2013), review denied (Minn. July 16, 2013). "We presume that Minnesota statutes are constitutional and will declare a statute unconstitutional with extreme caution and only when absolutely necessary. The party challenging a statute on constitutional grounds must meet the very heavy burden of demonstrating beyond a reasonable doubt that the statute is unconstitutional." Stevens v. Comm'r of Pub. Safety , 850 N.W.2d 717, 722 (Minn. App. 2014) (quotations and citations omitted); see Fedziuk v. Comm'r of Pub. Safety , 696 N.W.2d 340, 344 (Minn. 2005).

Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 8(a)-(d) (2016), subjects a vehicle used to commit a designated offense, such as first-degree DWI, to automatic administrative seizure, and requires that written notice of intent to forfeit be provided to the driver and the registered owner of a seized vehicle. Within 60 days of the seizure, a claimant may file a demand for judicial determination of the forfeiture in the form of a civil complaint. Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 8(e), (f) (2016). If a timely demand is made, the forfeiture proceedings are conducted according to the procedure outlined under Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9. Id. , subd. 8(g) (2016). Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), provides that

A judicial determination under this subdivision must be held at the earliest practicable date, and in any event no later than 180 days following the filing of the demand by the claimant. If a related criminal proceeding is pending, the hearing shall not be held until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings. The district court administrator shall schedule the hearing as soon as practicable after the conclusion of the criminal prosecution. The district court administrator shall establish procedures to ensure efficient compliance with this subdivision. The hearing is to the court without a jury.

On appeal, the state argues that the district court erred in granting summary judgment because (1) the Olsons forfeited their right to a prompt hearing by agreeing to multiple continuances, and (2) Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), satisfies procedural due process on its face. The Olsons argue that they filed a timely demand for a judicial determination, that there is no effective hardship relief provided by *76Minn. Stat. § 169A.63 (2016), and that the hearing timeline provided under Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), unconstitutionally prolongs review until after a driver's related criminal case is resolved.

II. The Olsons did not forfeit their challenge to the lack of a prompt review.

On appeal, the state argues that the Olsons forfeited their right to raise a procedural due-process challenge to Minn. Stat. § 169A.63, subd. 9(d), because they did not demand a prompt post-deprivation hearing and agreed to several continuances. Forfeiture is "the failure to make a timely assertion of a right." Troxel v. State ,

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910 N.W.2d 72, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/olson-v-jt6hf10u6x0079461-minnctapp-2018.