State v. Cruz-Aguirre

972 P.2d 1206, 158 Or. App. 15, 1999 Ore. App. LEXIS 1
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedJanuary 6, 1999
Docket95CR3094FE; CA A97471
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 972 P.2d 1206 (State v. Cruz-Aguirre) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Cruz-Aguirre, 972 P.2d 1206, 158 Or. App. 15, 1999 Ore. App. LEXIS 1 (Or. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinions

[17]*17EDMONDS, J.

The state appeals the trial court’s pretrial order suppressing evidence of a controlled substance that a state police officer discovered during the search of defendant’s vehicle. The trial court concluded that the officer’s request for consent to the search violated ORS 810.410(3)(b) (1995), as construed in State v. Dominguez-Martinez, 321 Or 206, 895 P2d 306 (1995) and State v. Hadley, 146 Or App 166, 932 P2d 1194 (1997). The state argues that the search did not violate ORS 810.410(3)(b) and that even if it did, suppression is no longer proper under ORS 136.432 (section 1 of Senate Bill 936) (1997). We do not reach the state’s first argument because we agree that ORS 136.432 controls. Accordingly, we reverse and remand.

Defendant was stopped by a police officer for a traffic infraction. After the stop, the officer turned off his overhead lights, returned defendant’s identification documents to him, issued a citation and told him “adiós.” At that time, defendant was in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, the car door was closed, and the engine was running. The officer’s body did not impede defendant from leaving. Defendant “reached down and was starting to move the gear shift selector” when the officer recontacted him and asked if he could talk with him. Approximately seven seconds had elapsed. Defendant agreed to talk to the officer and got out of his car. The ensuing conversation led to defendant’s consent to a search of his car and the subsequent discovery of the controlled substances under the back seat of the car that are the subject of the trial court’s order on appeal.

After the trial court made its decision and after the briefing and argument in this case occurred, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in State v. Toevs, 327 Or 525, 964 P2d 1007 (1998). In Toevs, the court held that there must be a fact-specific inquiry under ORS 810.410(3)(b)1 to determine [18]*18when a traffic stop has ended and whether the officer is permitted to seek permission to search. Under Toevs, a trial court must determine whether under the totality of the circumstances, there is a continuing detention at the time of the request for consent to search. The inquiry is in two parts (1) whether the defendant subjectively believes that the officer has significantly restricted or interfered with his liberty or freedom of movement and (2) whether the motorist’s belief is objectively reasonable under the circumstances.

In this case, we need not remand to the trial court for a determination under Toevs. The trial court entered its order suppressing the evidence on May 19, 1997. Senate Bill 936 became effective on June 12, 1997, but its provisions apply to all criminal actions pending on or commenced after December 5, 1996. Oregon Laws 1997, ch 313 § 38. The indictment in this matter was filed on March 21,1996, and it was pending on December 5, 1996. Consequently, ORS 136.432 is applicable.

1, 2. Defendant argues that the state’s argument under ORS 136.432 was not preserved below to the trial court and therefore should not be considered by this court under ORAP 5.45(2).2 The purpose underlying ORAP 5.45(2) is that the preservation of an issue permits a trial court to understand and correct any error and to avoid the necessity of appeal. State v. Brown, 310 Or 347, 356, 800 P2d 259 (1990). Regarding the issue of preservation, the court in State v. Hitz, 307 Or 183, 188-89, 766 P2d 373 (1988) commented:

“* * * We have previously drawn attention to the distinctions between raising an issue at trial, identifying a source for a claimed position, and making a particular argument. See Cooper v. Eugene Sch. Dist. No. 4J, 301 Or 358, 369 n 12, 723 P2d 298 (1986). The first ordinarily is essential, the second less so, and third least. Thus, when a potential constitutional violation is involved, the parties’ omission of a dispositive source or argument of ordinary law cannot compel a court to a needless constitutional decision. See State v. [19]*19Kennedy, 295 Or 260, 267, 666 P2d 1316 (1983). Of course, it is important to efficient judicial procedures that the positions of the parties be clearly presented to the initial tribunal and on appeal. See, e.g, Shields v. Campbell, 277 Or 71, 77-78, 559 P2d 1275 (1977). But an equally important justification for requiring preservation of claims of error, consistent with the directive to administer justice ‘completely,’ Or Const, Art I, § 10, is fairness to the adversary parties, and courts can avoid taking parties by surprise by inviting memoranda on inadequately briefed questions. State v. Kennedy, supra, 295 Or at 268. Efficient procedures are instruments for, not obstacles to, deciding the merits, particularly when the alternative is a criminal conviction that lacks a basis in law or in fact.” (Emphasis in original; footnote omitted.)

In this case, the state could not have raised ORS 136.432 to the trial court as authority for its position because the statute had not yet been enacted at the time that the trial court entered its order suppressing the evidence. However, defendant argues, and the dissent agrees, that because Ballot Measure 40 was in effect at that time, the state was required to make an argument under Measure 40 in order to preserve an argument under ORS 136.432 on appeal. It is correct that the provisions of ORS 136.432 are substantially identical to a provision of Measure 40. However, Measure 40 was subsequently declared unconstitutional on an unrelated ground in Armatta v. Kitzhaber, 327 Or 250, 959 P2d 49 (1998).

We disagree that defendant’s argument should be adopted as a proper application of ORAP 5.45(2). The reasons are three-fold: First, ORAP 5.45 is a procedural rule and should not be used as an obstacle to the deciding of the merits of an issue when the purpose of the rule is not farthered. Here, there was no issue under ORS 136.432 that could have been presented to the trial court to allow it to correct itself because at the time of the trial court ruling, ORS 136.432 had not been enacted.3 Second, the intent of the legislature that ORS 136.432

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

Related

State v. Cruz-Aguirre
40 P.3d 560 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2002)
State v. Cruz-Aguirre
Oregon Supreme Court, 2001
State v. Hall
999 P.2d 509 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2000)
Oregon Account Systems, Inc. v. Greer
996 P.2d 1025 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2000)
State v. Ray
990 P.2d 365 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)
State v. Manivong
983 P.2d 1064 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)
State v. Miles
982 P.2d 48 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)
State v. Crocker
982 P.2d 45 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)
State v. Denny
978 P.2d 1014 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)
State v. Riley
976 P.2d 79 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1999)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
972 P.2d 1206, 158 Or. App. 15, 1999 Ore. App. LEXIS 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cruz-aguirre-orctapp-1999.