State v. Downs

923 So. 2d 726, 2005 WL 2323235
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 23, 2005
Docket2004 KW 2402
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 923 So. 2d 726 (State v. Downs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Downs, 923 So. 2d 726, 2005 WL 2323235 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

923 So.2d 726 (2005)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Virginia DOWNS.

No. 2004 KW 2402.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

September 23, 2005.

Doug Moreau, District Attorney, Dylan C. Alge, Baton Rouge, Counsel for Respondent State of Louisiana.

George Randy Trelles, Baton Rouge, Counsel for Relator Virginia Downs.

Before: CARTER, C.J., WHIPPLE and DOWNING, JJ.

*727 DOWNING, J.

This writ application concerns whether the trial court erred in denying the relator, Virginia Downs's, motion in limine to exclude from evidence certain medical records. For the following reasons, we reverse the trial court's ruling that denied relator's motion in limine and remand this matter to the district court for further proceedings.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Relator is charged by misdemeanor bill of information with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, first offense (count 1), a violation of La. R.S. 14:98(B); careless operation (count 2), a violation of La. R.S. 32:58; and safety belt use required (count 3), a violation of La. R.S. 32:295.1(A). Relator filed a motion to suppress in which she sought suppression of any and all blood-alcohol tests obtained in this matter on the grounds that the tests were taken in violation of La. R.S. 32:661 et seq. and were taken in violation of her constitutional rights. Relator also sought suppression of any and all statements given by her as they were given in violation of her constitutional rights.[1] Relator filed a motion in limine to exclude introduction of relator's medical records from evidence on the ground that the State failed to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1986, 45 C.F.R. § 160.300 et seq., and La. R.S. 13:3715.1(B)(1), Louisiana's statute pertaining to obtaining medical or hospital records. The trial court denied relator's motion in limine, and relator filed an application for supervisory writs, seeking review of the district court's ruling. This Court issued a writ of certiorari to determine if the district court erred when it denied the motion in limine and ordered the parties to file briefs and appear for oral argument.

During the motion in limine hearing, no evidence was introduced and no witnesses testified at the hearing. During argument, counsel stated that on the date of the instant offense,[2] an officer was dispatched to the scene of a one-car accident. Relator was being loaded into an EMS vehicle when the responding officer arrived. Relator was transported to Earl K. Long Hospital. The District Attorney's Office issued a "D.A. subpoena" to request relator's medical records from Earl K. Long. According to relator's application, the D.A. "resorted to a `District Attorney subpoena' unsupported by a court order or an affidavit required by 13:3715.1(B)(1)" to secure the results of relator's blood test performed at the hospital. Relator alleges that no notice of the application of the proposed subpoena was given and no court order accompanied the subpoena served on Earl K. Long Hospital.

At the hearing on the motion in limine, relator's attorney argued that the officer did not conduct any field sobriety tests and he did not take any blood at the time of the incident. Relator argued that the "D.A. subpoena" violates the privacy rule under HIPAA and that the HIPAA preemption rule applies to the Louisiana health care provider privilege according to United States ex rel. Stewart v. Louisiana Clinic, 2002 WL 31819130 (E.D.La.12/12/02), an unpublished case from the United States District Court. The State countered that Stewart was a civil case and not a criminal matter. The State asserted that because this is a criminal *728 matter, La.Code Evid. art. 510 C applies. This article provides that in a criminal proceeding, a patient has no privilege when the communication is a record of results of a blood-alcohol test taken from a person who is under arrest or who was subsequently arrested for an offense related to the test. See La.Code Evid. art. 510(C)(2)(d). It is the State's contention that there is nothing in HIPAA that requires exclusion of the test results from evidence at trial; relator does not have a right of action under HIPAA without filing a report with the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Health and Human Services, for enforcement; HIPAA obligations are on the health care provider only and not on the State, police or prosecutors; and the medical records were not obtained in violation of relator's constitutional rights.

During the hearing, the following dialogue took place concerning correcting the alleged defective subpoena:

The Court: Now, I don't think you need to but, to me, if I, even if I rule in Mr. Trellis' [defense counsel] favor, all you've got to do is turn around and follow this procedure and get it? ... And we'll be spinning our wheels here.
Mr. McAlpine [prosecutor]: That'll be the first thing I do, if you rule in Mr. Trellis' favor.
The Court: So I'm going to deny Mr. Trellis' motion.

Relator then sought writs in this Court. This Court issued an interim order ordering the State to respond and inviting the district court to issue a per curiam. The State responded and also filed a new motion and order to issue a subpoena pursuant to La. R.S. 13:3715.1 in the district court.

LAW AND DISCUSSION

HIPAA is a massive federal statute that consists of extensive regulations. These regulations identify and limit select entities' capacity to disclose patients' medical records. The implementation of these regulations applies to the following: (1) a health plan; (2) a health care clearinghouse; and (3) a health care provider who transmits any health information in electronic form in connection with a transaction covered by these regulations. See 45 C.F.R. §§ 160.102 and 164.104. These regulations provide limited circumstances when disclosures are permitted for judicial and administrative proceedings. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.512.

A covered entity may disclose protected health information in any judicial proceeding in response to a subpoena that is not accompanied by an order of a court, the situation in the instant case. However, the subpoena must meet certain specifications pursuant to 45 C.F.R. § 164.512(e) as follows:

(1) Permitted disclosures. A covered entity may disclose protected health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding:
* * *
(ii) In response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, that is not accompanied by an order of a court or administrative tribunal, if:

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Bluebook (online)
923 So. 2d 726, 2005 WL 2323235, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-downs-lactapp-2005.