Platz v. State, Transportation Department

303 P.3d 647, 154 Idaho 960
CourtIdaho Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 6, 2013
Docket39805/39806
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 303 P.3d 647 (Platz v. State, Transportation Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Platz v. State, Transportation Department, 303 P.3d 647, 154 Idaho 960 (Idaho Ct. App. 2013).

Opinions

GRATTON, Judge.

This opinion involves two related cases. In Docket No. 39805, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) appeals from the district court’s decision, upon judicial review, vacating the administrative license suspension (ALS) of Chauncey Jack Platz’s driver’s license after he failed a blood alcohol concentration test. ITD claims the district court erred by determining that Platz was not properly monitored for fifteen minutes prior to administration of the breath test, in accordance with the Idaho State Police Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). ITD also claims the district court lacked jurisdiction to hear Platz’s motion for a stay pending the hearing officer’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

In Docket No. 39806, ITD appeals from the district court’s decision, upon judicial review, vacating the hearing officer’s order disqualifying Platz’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) based upon the failed blood alcohol [963]*963concentration test. ITD claims that if this Court affirms the hearing officer’s order sustaining Platz’s ALS, then it must affirm the hearing officer’s order disqualifying Platz’s CDL. Platz contends that his statutory and due process rights were violated when the CDL hearing officer refused to consider evidence submitted challenging the validity of the failed evidentiary test.

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On June 26, 2011, Platz was stopped for speeding and failing to wear a seatbelt. During the stop, Platz admitted he had been drinking. Idaho State Police Trooper Montgomery requested that Platz exit his vehicle and perform field sobriety tests. The trooper then informed Platz, prior to performing the field sobriety tests, that the fifteen-minute monitoring period had started in preparation for a breath test. The trooper, at this time, also checked Platz’s mouth for anything that would affect a breath test. Platz subsequently failed the field sobriety tests and was asked to submit to a breath test. The breath test samples showed results of .201 and .191, and Platz was arrested for DUI. ITD later served Platz with a notice of administrative license suspension, pursuant to Idaho Code § 18-8002A, due to his failure of the breath test. Platz also received a notice of a CDL disqualification pursuant to I.C. § 49-335 that was dated July 5, 2011, and effective on July 26, 2011.

Platz requested an ALS hearing to contest his license suspension, which was held on July 18, 2011. During the hearing, Platz requested permission to submit supplemental argument on the fifteen-minute monitoring period. The hearing officer informed Platz his thirty-day temporary driving permit would not be extended through any additional period allowed for supplementation of his argument. On July 26, 2011, Platz filed his supplemental argument alleging that Trooper Montgomery was not always in a position to monitor Platz for the required fifteen minutes prior to the breath test. On the same day, Platz filed a motion with the hearing officer to stay his license suspension pending the hearing officer’s decision, which was denied. On August 1, 2011, Platz filed a motion with the district court to stay his license suspension pending the hearing officer’s decision. The district court granted Platz’s motion on August 4, 2011. The hearing officer’s findings of fact and conclusions of law and order was issued August 4, 2011. The order sustained the suspension of Platz’s driver’s license. Platz filed a petition for judicial review and a motion to stay his license suspension pending judicial review. The stay was granted. On March 2, 2012, the district court vacated the ALS on the ground that the hearing officer’s determination that the trooper complied with the fifteen-minute monitoring period was not supported by substantial and competent evidence.

On September 8, 2011, Platz requested an administrative hearing to contest his CDL disqualification. At the hearing, the hearing officer declined to consider evidence regarding the fifteen-minute observation period and sustained the disqualification. Platz timely filed a petition for judicial review of his CDL disqualification and was granted a stay pending the district court’s review. The district court then consolidated the ALS and CDL proceedings and vacated the CDL disqualification because Platz’s ALS was vacated, and thus he no longer had failed a test as required by I.C. § 49-335(2). ITD timely appealed in both cases.

II.

ANALYSIS

The Idaho Administrative Procedures Act (IDAPA) governs the review of ITD decisions to deny, cancel, suspend, disqualify, revoke, or restrict a person’s driver’s license. See I.C. §§ 49-201, 49-330, 67-5201(2), 67-5270. In an appeal from the decision of the district court acting in its appellate capacity under IDAPA, this Court reviews the agency record independently of the district court’s decision. Marshall v. Idaho Dep’t of Transp., 137 Idaho 337, 340, 48 P.3d 666, 669 (Ct.App.2002). This Court does not substitute its judgment for that of the agency as to the weight of the evidence [964]*964presented. I.C. § 67-5279(1); Marshall, 137 Idaho at 340, 48 P.3d at 669. This Court instead defers to the agency’s findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous. Castaneda v. Brighton Corp., 130 Idaho 923, 926, 950 P.2d 1262, 1265 (1998); Marshall, 137 Idaho at 340, 48 P.3d at 669. In other words, the agency’s factual determinations are binding on the reviewing court, even where there is conflicting evidence before the agency, so long as the determinations are supported by substantial and competent evidence in the record. Urrutia v. Blaine County, ex rel. Bd. of Comm’rs, 134 Idaho 353, 357, 2 P.3d 738, 742 (2000); Marshall, 137 Idaho at 340, 48 P.3d at 669.

The Court may overturn an agency’s decision where its findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions: (a) violate statutory or constitutional provisions; (b) exceed the agency’s statutory authority; (c) are made upon unlawful procedure; (d) are not supported by substantial evidence in the record; or (e) are arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion. I.C. § 67-5279(3). The party challenging the agency decision must demonstrate that the agency erred in a manner specified in I.C. § 67-5279(3) and that a substantial right of that party has been prejudiced. Price v. Payette County Bd. of County Comm’rs, 131 Idaho 426, 429, 958 P.2d 583, 586 (1998); Marshall, 137 Idaho at 340, 48 P.3d at 669. If the agency’s decision is not affirmed on appeal, “it shall be set aside ... and remanded for further proceedings as necessary.” I.C. § 67-5279(3).

The administrative license suspension statute, I.C. § 18-8002A, requires that ITD suspend the driver’s license of a driver who has failed a BAC test administered by a law enforcement officer. The period of suspension is ninety days for a driver’s first failure of an evidentiary test and one year for any subsequent test failure within five years. I.C. § 18-8002A(4)(a). A person who has been notified of an ALS may request a hearing before a hearing officer designated by ITD to contest the suspension. I.C. § 18-8002A(7); Kane v. State, Dep’t of Transp., 139 Idaho 586, 590, 83 P.3d 130, 134 (Ct.App.2003).

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303 P.3d 647, 154 Idaho 960, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/platz-v-state-transportation-department-idahoctapp-2013.