State v. Jackson

864 N.E.2d 431, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 771, 2007 WL 1166043
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 20, 2007
Docket29A02-0610-CR-867
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 864 N.E.2d 431 (State v. Jackson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Jackson, 864 N.E.2d 431, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 771, 2007 WL 1166043 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION

ROBB, Judge.

Case Summary and Issue 1

The State of Indiana appeals from the trial court’s judgment of acquittal in favor of Karl D. Jackson, who was charged with operating a vehicle after being adjudged an habitual traffic violator (“OWHTV”), a Class D felony. On appeal, the State raises three issues, which we restate as:

1) whether a defendant charged with OWHTV is required to know that his or her license was suspended because of the HTV status or merely that his or her license was suspended; 2
2) whether the OWHTV statute requires that the defendant have actual knowledge, or whether mere constructive knowledge is sufficient; and
3) whether the trial court erroneously found that Jackson had rebutted the statutory presumption that he knew his driving privileges had been suspended for being an HTV.

Concluding that the OWHTV statute requires that the defendant have actual *434 knowledge that his or her license has been suspended because of the HTV status, and that the trial court acted within its discretion in finding that Jackson rebutted the statutory presumption, we affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

Sometime in 2003, the BMV determined that Jackson was an HTV. 3 On April 14, 2003, the BMV sent a notice of this determination to Jackson at the last address Jackson had given to the BMV. 4 Jackson testified that he never received this notice, and introduced evidence that on the date the BMV mailed the notice, he was living at a different location. Under Indiana statute, a person holding a driver’s license or permit is required to notify the BMV of a change in address. 5 Jackson never informed the BMV that his address had changed.

On January 28, 2005, Matthew Molter, of the Carmel Police Department, stopped a vehicle driven by Jackson. Jackson gave Officer Molter the vehicle’s registration and his identification card, and told Officer Molter that his license was suspended. Officer Molter confirmed that Jackson’s license was suspended and placed Jackson under arrest.

The State charged Jackson with OWHTV. At trial, the State introduced evidence of Jackson’s prior traffic violations, the BMV’s determination that Jackson was an HTV, and documents showing that the BMV had mailed a notice of this determination to the address that Jackson had last provided to the BMV. Annette Page, Director of the BMV’s driver improvement and safety responsibility division, testified that these notices contain personal information, and agreed that a notice of an HTV determination is “probably not something that would be forwarded.” Transcript at 26. 6 Page also testified that the BMV does not inform license holders that they are required by statute to report a change of address to the BMV. Jackson testified that he never received notice of the BMV’s determination of his status as an HTV, and that he had not lived at the address to which the BMV mailed the notice at the time of the mailing. He also testified that he had not notified the BMV of his change in address.

The trial court entered a judgment of acquittal, stating that “the Defendant in this case rebutted that presumption [that he knew his driving privileges were suspended because of his status as an HTV] ... he was not living at the address [and] he never received notice of his suspension .... [T]he State failed to prove the Defendant was operating knowing that he was ... an habitual traffic violator.” Tr. at 39.

The State now appeals the trial court’s decision.

Discussion and Decision

I. Nature of the Appeal

Under Indiana statute, the State may appeal a question of law following a defendant’s acquittal. Ind.Code § 35-38-4-2; State v. Lloyd, 800 N.E.2d 196, 198 *435 (Ind.Ct.App.2003). However, if we reverse a trial court’s judgment of acquittal, the State is barred, on double jeopardy-grounds, from trying the defendant again. State v. Casada, 825 N.E.2d 936, 940 (Ind.Ct.App.2005). Even though the issues in these cases are therefore moot, we address the merits in these situations in order to “provide guidance to the trial courts in future cases.” Lloyd, 800 N.E.2d at 198.

II. The Trial Court’s Judgment

A. Interpretation of Indiana Code section 9-30-10-16

Our supreme court has summarized our approach to interpreting penal statutes:

Penal statutes should be construed strictly against the State and ambiguities should be resolved in favor of the accused. At the same time, however, statutes should not be narrowed so much as to exclude cases they would fairly cover. Also, we assume that the language in a statute was used intentionally and that every word should be given effect and meaning. We seek to give a statute practical application by construing it in a way favoring public convenience and avoiding absurdity, hardship, and injustice. And statutes concerning the same subject matter must be read together to harmonize and give effect to each.

Merritt v. State, 829 N.E.2d 472, 475 (Ind.2005) (citations omitted). With these principles in mind, we will address the OWHTV statute.

This statute states: “A person who operates a motor vehicle ... while the person’s driving privileges are validly suspended under this [HTV] chapter ... and the person knows that the person’s driving privileges are suspended ... commits a Class D felony.” Ind.Code § 9-30-10-16(a). The statute also states: “Service by the bureau of notice of the suspension ... by first class mail to the person at the last address shown for the person in the bureau’s records ... establishes a rebuttable presumption that the person knows that the person’s driving privileges are suspended or restricted.” Ind.Code § 9-30-10-16(b). Prior to 2000, this statute read: “A person who operates a motor vehicle ... while the person’s driving privileges are suspended under [the HTV] chapter ... commits a Class D felony.” See State v. Hammond, 761 N.E.2d 812, 815 n. 4 (Ind.2002).

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Related

State v. Jackson
889 N.E.2d 819 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2008)
Laker v. State
869 N.E.2d 1216 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
864 N.E.2d 431, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 771, 2007 WL 1166043, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-jackson-indctapp-2007.