State v. Palmer

2008 UT App 206, 189 P.3d 69, 605 Utah Adv. Rep. 28, 2008 Utah App. LEXIS 184, 2008 WL 2220634

• Court: Court of Appeals of Utah
• Decided: May 30, 2008
• Docket: 20060925-CA
• Status: Published

Opinions

OPINION

McHUGH, Judge:

T1 Robert Palmer challenges his convietion under subsection (@2)(a) of Utah Code section 41-6-44, which makes it unlawful to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any drug (DUI). See Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-44(2)(a) (Supp.2004)¹ Subsection (6)(a) of the same section declares that DUI is a third degree felony if the defendant has two or more prior convictions within the past ten years. See id. § 41-6-44(6)(a). Palmer argues that subsection (6)(a) defines a separate crime, rather than a sentence enhancement, and that the trial court committed structural error when it found Palmer had two prior convictions without submitting that question to the jury.

1 2 We conclude that subsection (6)(a) is an enhancement provision, which merely increases the sentence for a recidivist. Subsection (6)(a) does not define a separate crime and therefore does not require a jury trial to establish prior convictions. Accordingly, we affirm Palmer's felony DUI convietion.

BACKGROUND ²

§3 On September 283, 2004, Sergeant George Alexanderson of the Utah County Sheriff's Office pulled Palmer over for making an illegal turn and driving a vehicle with an expired registration. There was "a very strong [odor] of an alcoholic beverage" when Sergeant Alexanderson approached Palmer. Additionally, Palmer had "an extremely difficult time" producing his driver's license, and "his speech was slurred" in a "thick tongue sort of" way. Sergeant Alexanderson, assisted by backup officers, suspected Palmer was intoxicated and administered three field sobriety tests; Palmer failed all three. Accordingly, Palmer was arrested for DUI. A subsequent breathalyzer test measured Palmer's blood alcohol concentration at .318, nearly four times the legal limit of .08, see id. § 41-6-44(2)(a)(), (ii).

4 Palmer was charged by information on January 4, 2005, with one count of DUI. Palmer pleaded not guilty, and a jury trial was scheduled for August 8, 2006. Despite receiving notice of the trial date, Palmer failed to appear and was convicted in absen-tia of DUI. By stipulation of the parties, the jury was excused, and the prosecution presented evidence of Palmer's prior convictions to the trial judge, resulting in an increase in Palmer's sentence.

15 At sentencing, Palmer argued his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial was violated when the trial judge, as opposed to the jury, considered the sentence enhancement based on Palmer's prior convictions.³ The trial court found Palmer's Sixth Amendment rights were violated but denied Palmer's motion on the basis of harmless error. The trial court sentenced Palmer to zero to five years in the Utah State Prison, and Palmer filed this appeal.

ISSUE AND STANDARD OF REVIEW

16 Palmer presents one issue on appeal: "Whether the trial court violated Palmer's constitutional right to have a jury consider his prior DUI convictions...." "Constitutional issues are questions of law that we review for correctness." State v. Noreutt, 2006 UT App 269, 17, 139 P.3d 1066.

ANALYSIS

T7 The right to a jury trial in criminal proceedings is secured by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution.⁴ See U.S. Const. amend. VI. That amendment declares: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury...."⁵ Id.

T8 The Sixth Amendment's provisions have been interpreted by the United States Supreme Court as providing a criminal defendant with "the right to have a jury determine, beyond a reasonable doubt, his guilt of every element of the crime with which he is charged." United States v. Gaudin, 515 U.S. 506, 522-28, 115 S.Ct. 2810, 182 L.Ed.2d 444 (1995) (emphasis added). Accordingly, if Palmer is correct that subsection 6(a) of Utah Code section 41-6-44 is intended as an element of the crime of DUI, we assume without deciding that Palmer had a constitutional right to have the jury determine whether or not the State proved that element.

T9 On the other hand, the Supreme Court has expressly ruled that the Sixth Amendment does not require prior convie-tions to be submitted to the jury when used merely as a sentence enhancement.⁶ See Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 476, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 LEd.2d 485 (2000) ("[Alny fact (other than prior conviction) that increases the maximum penalty for a crime must be ... submitted to a jury, and proven beyond a reasonable doubt." (emphasis added)); Almendares-Torres v. United States, 528 U.S. 224, 229-85, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998) (ruling recidivism was not an element of a particular offense and, therefore, need not be charged in an indictment or determined by a jury). Accordingly, if the State is correct that subsection 6(a) was intended as a sentence enhancement, relevant only after a DUI conviction had been secured, Palmer did not have a constitutional right to have the fact of his prior convictions decided by a jury.

110 Because Palmer's constitutional argument hinges on the classification of subsection 6(a) as either an element or a sentence enhancement, Palmer correctly recognizes that "[the real issue before this Court is whether Utah Code Annotated § 41-6-44(6)(a) ([Supp.2004] ) provides separate elements ... or whether this [subJsection is only an enhancement provision." "[The question of which factors are" elements and which factors are sentence enhancements "is normally a matter for [the legislative branch]." Almendarez-Torres, 523 U.S. at 228, 118 8.Ct. 1219.

We therefore look to the statute before us and ask what [the legislature] intended. Did it intend the ... prior conviction[ ] to help define a separate crime? Or did it intend the presence of an earler conviction as a sentencing factor, a factor that a sentencing court might use to increase punishment? In answering this question, we look to the statute's language, strue-ture, subject matter, context, and history-factors that typically help courts determine a statute's objectives and thereby illuminate its text.

Id. (emphasis added).

11 Our review of Utah Code section 41-6-44 convinces us that the legislature did not intend subsection 6(a) to constitute a separate DUI offense but, rather, a sentence enhancement used to increase punishment for a recidivist.

112 To begin with, subsection 6(a)'s subject matter is indicative of its design as a sentence enhancement. The Supreme Court interpreted a similar statutory provision in Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 528 U.S. 224, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 LEd.2d 350 (1998), and emphasized that "the relevant statutory subject matter is recidivism. That subject matter-prior commission of a ... crime-is as typical a sentencing factor as one might imagine." Id. at 229-80, 118 S.Ct. 1219. Likewise, the Court acknowledged that "the introduction of evidence of a defendant's prior crimes risks significant prejudice." Id. at 285 118 S.Ct. 1219. According ly, the Court assumed that "other things being equal, ... Congress would [not] have wanted to create this kind of unfairness[introduction of evidence of prior convictions during the guilt phase of the trial-Jin respect to facts that are almost never contested." Id. For these reasons, the Supreme Court determined the statutory provision at issue in Almendarez-Torres was a sentence enhancement and not an element of the crime charged. See id. at 284-35, 248-44, 118 S.Ct. 1219 ("[Tlo hold that the Constitution requires that recidivism be deemed an 'element' of petitioner's offense would mark an abrupt departure from a longstanding tradition of treating recidivism as going to the punishment only." (additional alteration and internal quotation marks omitted)).

T13 Of course, the general indicators of legislative intent recognized by the Supreme Court must give way if evidence demonstrates that the Utah Legislature actually intended subsection (6)(a) to define a separate DUI crime. See id. at 244, 118 S.Ct. 1219. However, no such evidence exists. On the contrary, subsection (6)(a)s plain language demonstrates it was not intended to define a separate crime but, rather, to operate as a sentence enhancement. See generalty In re Z.C., 2007 UT 54, T6, 165 P.8d 1206 ("The first step of statutory interpretation is to evaluate the best evidence of legislative intent: the plain language of the statute itself. When examining the statutory language we must assume the legislature used each term advisedly and in accordance with its ordinary meaning." (citation and internal quotation marks omitted)).

1 14 Under subsection 6(a), "(a) conviction for a violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony if it is ... a third or subsequent conviction ... within ten years." Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-44(6)(a) (Supp.2004) (emphasis added). Notably, subsection (6)(a) does not prohibit or declare any activity illegal. Compare id. § 41-6-44(2) ("A person may mot" .... (emphasis added)), with id. § 41-6-44(6) ("A conviction for a violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony ...." {emphasis added)). Instead, subsection (6)(a) indicates that a defendant has been charged and convicted "for a violation of Subsection (2)." Id. § 41-6-44(6)(a).

115 In this case, subsection (2) made it illegal for Palmer to (1) operate a vehicle and (2) have a blood alcohol level above .08. See id. § 41-6-44(2)(a)G), (iii). Those were the only elements necessary for Palmer's conviction.⁷ See State v. Peres-Avilo, 2006 UT App 71, T 11, 181 P.8d 864 ("[That the State show that a defendant operated a vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 or greater .... [are] the only required showing[s] for DUI."). Subsection (6)(a) did not add to those two elements in any way, and, in fact, contained an express prerequisite before its provisions were applicable-"[a] conviction for a violation of Subsection (2)" Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-44(6)(a) (emphasis added). Thus, Palmer's previous convictions were irrelevant to his guilt or innocence of the crime charged-DULI. See id. § 41-6-44(2)(a)G), (iii). Accordingly, we hold subsection 6(a) does not define a new crime but, rather, operates as a sentence enhancement after a conviction under subsection (2) has been obtained. See Almendarezs-Torres, 523 U.S. at 244, 118 S.Ct. 1219 ("[Rlecidivisgm does not relate to the commission of the offense, but goes to the punishment only, and therefore .... [need not] be deemed an 'element' of petitioner's offense ...." (internal quotation marks omitted)).

116 Our ruling on this issue is further strengthened by the structure of the statute, which evidences the legislature's intent concerning when prior convictions should be considered elements necessary for the crime of DUI. Subsection (2) defines five different DUI offenses. For example, subsection makes it illegal to drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol level exceeding .08, regardless of whether the driver has prior DUI convictions. See Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-see also id. § 41-6-44(2)(@)@G). However, subsection (2)(a)(v) imposes stricter limits for individuals with prior convictions. See id. § 41-6-44(2)(a)(v). Subseetion (2)(a)(v) makes it a crime to (1) be twenty-one years or older; (2) have a blood alcohol level of .05 or higher; (8) have a passenger under sixteen; and (4) have "committed the offense within ten years of a prior conviction." Id. (emphasis added); see also id. § 41-6-44(2)(a)(iv) (creating similar restrictions). Thus, under subsection (2)(a)(v), a prior conviction is contained in the provision that defines the crime charged. We are obligated to assume that the legislature's decision to include prior convictions within subsection (2)(a)(v) but not within subsection (2)(a)(ii) was deliberate. See Davis County Solid Waste Mgmt. v. City of Bountiful, 2002 UT 60, TT 10-11, 52 P.3d 1174 (relying on a statute's structure when interpreting its meaning).

T17 Our ruling on this issue necessarily rejects Palmer's argument that State v. Harris, 1 Utah 2d 182, 264 P.2d 284 (1958), compels a different result. In Harris, a defendant's prior DUI convictions were submitted to the jury and the trial judge improperly commented on the evidence. See id. at 285-86. The Utah Supreme Court reversed the defendant's conviction, ruling: "[Tlhe right of an accused to trial by jury, assured by the provisions of our State Constitution, means that all issues of fact shall be submitted to them and that the Court should neither expressly nor by implication indicate his opinion upon the facts or as to the weight of the evidence." Id. (emphasis added) (footnote omitted). The court then noted that "[the prior conviction was a material element of the" misdemeanor DUI charge and remanded for a new trial without the judge's impermissible comments. Id. at 286.

118 Harris is distinguishable from this case for several reasons. First, Horris was decided under the Utah Constitution and not under the United States Constitution. See generally Wood v. University of Utah Med. Cir., 2002 UT 184, 129, 67 P.8d 486 ("We note that our state constitution may, under some cireumstances, provide greater protections for our citizens than are required under the federal constitution.").⁸ Second, Harris was a correct statement of the law as it existed at that time. The Utah Supreme Court decided Harris forty-five years before the United States Supreme Court articulated the difference between elements and enhancements, carving out an exception to the Sixth Amendment for recidivism ermhance ments. See Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 528 U.S. 224, 226-27, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998) (ruling prior convie-tions need not be submitted to jury when used as sentence enhancements).⁹ Third, the statute considered in Harris has been amended more than forty times between 1953 and 2004. See Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-44 History notes. Those amendments include the key language at issue in this case. See Amendments to Operating Under the Influence, ch. 205, sec. 1, § 41-6-44(@)(a)(iv)-(v), 2004 Utah Laws 785, 786 (imposing additional limits on individuals with prior convictions); Driving Under the Influence Penalty Amendments, ch. 64, sec. 1, § 41-6-44(6)(a), 2001 Utah Laws 246, 247 (amending subsection (6)(a) to read: "A conviction for a violation of subsection (2) is a third degree felony if...."); Revisions to Driving Under the Influence, ch. 289, see. 1, § 41-6-44(6)(a), 2001 Utah Laws 1349, 1350 (same, but extending the relevant time period). Further, these amendments came after the United States Supreme Court opinions distinguishing between elements and enhancements, see e.g., Almendares-Torres, 523 U.S. at 229-35, 118 S.Ct. 1219, and presumably were made with knowledge of that authority, see Comroy v. Amiskoff, 507 U.S. 511, 516, 118 S.Ct. 1562, 128 LEd.2d 229 (19983) (assuming Congress was familiar with prior judicial opinions); McCarthy v. Bronson, 500 U.S. 186, 140, 111 S.Ct. 1737, 114 L.Ed.2d 194 (1991) ("We certainly presume that ... when Congress selected this language, our elected representatives were familiar with our recently announced opinions...."); Olseth v. Larson, 2007 UT 29, 139, 158 P.8d 582 ("We presume the Legislature is aware of our case law. ..."). If the Utah Legislature intended to preserve a right to jury trial for recidivism enhancements under subsections (2)(a)G) to (i), it need only to have moved that subject into the definition of the crime itself, as it did for subsections (2)(a)(iv) and (v).

Moreover, recent decisions from our appellate courts have routinely referred to subsection 6(a) as an "enhancement provision." "¹⁰ See, eg., State v. Garcia, 696 P.2d 1209, 1209 (Utah 1985) (mem.) (per curiam) ("Defendant was convicted ... of [DUI]. She was sentenced ... under the enhancement provisions of U.C.A., 1958, § 41-6-44(d)." (emphasis added)); State v. Wareham, 2006 UT App 327, 128, 148 P.3d 802 ("[Wle reverse only the enhancement of [the defendant's] DUI offense, and not the underlying DUI conviction itself ...." (emphasis added)), cert. dismissed, No. 20060817, 186 P.3d 347, 2007 Utah Lexis 234 (July 25, 2007); State v. Marshall, 2008 UT App 381, 81 P.3d T75 (repeatedly referring to defendant's felony DUI conviction as an enbancement or enhanced penalty obtained under the "enhancement provision"); State v. Soto, 2006 UT App 1220, para. 4, 2006 WL 729485 (mem.) (per curiam) ("[Section 41-6-44(6)(a), by its clear terms, permits enkancement based on a [prior] DUI ...." (emphasis added)); State v. Norton, 2008 UT App 4810, para. 4, 2003 WL 22922379 (mem.) (per cu-riam) ("[The DUI statute unambiguously en-hancees a third conviction to a third degree felony ...." (emphasis added)); State v. Hawley, 2001 UT App 2840, para. 5, 2001 WL 1175158 (mem.) ("[The DUI conviction was properly emkanced to a third degree felony." (emphasis added).¹¹ Unlike other enhancement factors, see, eg., Utah Code Ann. § 41-6-448)(a@)@1D(A)-(C) (Supp.2004), there is no federal constitutional right to a jury trial for "recidivist enhancements."¹²

120 Finally, we reject the dissent's argument that subsection 6(a) should not be read as a sentence enhancement because the increase from a class B misdemeanor to a third degree felony is dramatic and subjects the defendant to "serious collateral effects." See infra 131. While we agree that there are significant collateral consequences to the elevation of a charge from misdemeanor to felony, we do not agree that these consequences invalidate the holdings of Apprendi and Al-mendarez-Torres. Indeed, virtually all of the other jurisdictions that have addressed this issue have rejected that proposition. See, e.g., Talley v. State, No. 172, 2008 WL 283104202, at *2, 2008 Del. Lexis 648, at *5 (Dec. 29, 2008) (rejecting argument that prior DUI convictions were elements because they increased sentence from a misdemeanor to a felony); People v. Broman, 827 Ill. 1091, 262 IIl.Dec. 368, 765 N.E.2d 500, 502-04 (2002) (affirming trial court's enhancement of DUI conviction from misdemeanor to felony even though defendant's prior convictions were not submitted to the jury); State v. Kendall, 274 Kan. 1008, 58 P.3d 660, 667-68 (2002) (rejecting argument that defendant's "two prior DUI convictions must be proven to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt before that fact can be used to change the classification of [the defendant's] crime from a misdemeanor to a felony"); State v. Pike, 162 S.W.3d 464, 470 (Mo.2005) (holding DUI enhancement from a misdemeanor to a felony based on a prior conviction did not constitute a new offense); State v. LeBaron, 148 NH. 226, 808 AZ2d 541, 548-45 (2002) (holding prior convictions "need not have been ... proved to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt" even though they increased defendant's sentence from a misdemeanor to a felony). But see United States v. Rodrigues Gonzales, 358 F.3d 1156, 1160 (9th Cir.2004) ("'The existence of a prior conviction substantively transforms a second conviction under the statute from a misdemeanor to a felony. A prior conviction is therefore more than a sentencing factor. ...").¹³

In addition, the dissent's argument ignores the "serious collateral effects" of confinement in prison. In Almendarez-Torres v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that a sentence enhancement which increased a defendant's potential term of confinement in prison from two years to twenty years based solely upon the defendant's prior convictions need not be submitted to the jury. See 528 U.S. at 226-27, 118 S.Ct. 1219. Al-mendares-Torres was reaffirmed in Appren-di and other courts have applied these cases to instances where a defendant's term of confinement was enhanced to a sentence of life in prison. See, eg., United States v. Ceballos, 8302 F.3d 679, 696 (7th Cir.2002); United States v. Boone, 279 F.3d 163, 186 n. 16 (8d Cir 2002); United States v. Phipps, 259 F.3d 961, 962-63 (8th Cir.2001). See generally Almendarez-Torres, 528 U.S. at 229-85, 118 S.Ct. 1219 (holding the "magnitude of the increase in the maximum authorized sentence" "prove[d] little" (emphasis omitted)). Thus, while the dissent correctly notes that enhancing a defendant's sentence to a felony means the defendant may "incur serious collateral effects such as employment and deportation ... as well as loss of voting and gun possession privileges," see infra 11 81, we find these "serious collateral effects" pale in comparison to the complete loss of freedom-sometimes for life-approved by the Supreme Court and applied by other Jurisdictions. For example, in addition to his confinement for twenty rather than two years, the defendant in Alimendares-Torres could not vote, possess a gun, or obtain gainful employment during the eighteen extra years he was incarcerated. Accordingly, although we acknowledge the very real consequences of elevating a charge from a misdemeanor to a felony, we are unpersuaded that the consequences are greater than those present in Almendares-Torres."¹⁴

1 22 Because subsection (6)(a) is a sentence enhancement based on recidivism and not an element of the erime charged, Palmer did not have a constitutional right to have his prior convictions decided by a jury.¹⁵ See Appren-di v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 476, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 LEd.2d 485 (2000), Almendares-Torres, 528 U.S. at 229-85, 118 S.Ct. 1219; Jones v. United States, 526 U.S. 227, 249, 119 S.Ct. 1215, 148 LEd.2d 311 (1999). Accordingly, we affirm the trial court's ruling on these grounds. See State v. Tueller, 2001 UT App 317, 1 23, 37 P.3d 1180 ("It is a well-established rule that we may affirm a judgment of the trial court on grounds other than those used as the basis for its decision.").¹⁶

CONCLUSION

1 23 We conclude that subsection (6)(a) is a penalty provision that simply increases the sentence for a recidivist. Because the Sixth Amendment does not require recidivism to be submitted to the jury when used merely as a sentence enhancement, we affirm Palmer's felony sentence for driving under the influence.

1 24 Affirmed.

€25 I CONCUR: GREGORY K. ORME, Judge.

1 . Utah Code section 41-6-44 was amended and renumbered in 2005. See Traffic Code Recodifi-cation and Revisions, ch. 2, §§ 58-59, 2005 Utah Laws 18, 56-60 (current version as amended ai Utah Code Ann. §§ 41-6a-502, -503 (Supp. 2007)); Alcohol Restricted Drivers, ch. 91, §§ 1-2, 2005 Utah Laws 627, 627-28 (current version at Utah Code Ann. §§ 41-6a-502, -503 (Supp. 2007)). Because Palmer's actions occurred prior to these revisions, we cite to the 2004 code unless otherwise noted. See State v. Gonzales, 2005 UT App 538, T1 n. 1, 127 P.3d 1252.

2 . "'In setting out the facts from the record on appeal, we resolve all conflicts and doubts in favor of the jury's verdict and the rulings of the trial court.'" State v. Yanez, 2002 UT App 50, T1 n. 1, 42 P.3d 1248 (quoting State v. Tolman, 775 P.2d 422, 422-23 (Utah Ct.App.1989)).

3 . Palmer's argument before the trial judge was that "his right to have the jury ... consider the enhancement" was improperly waived. (Emphasis added.) Accordingly, the State suggests Palmer's argument on appeal-that subsection (6)(a) is an "element" and not merely an "enhancement'"-is unpreserved. We disagree. 'The purpose of preserving the error is to assure that the trial court has had the claimed error brought to its attention in a timely fashion, allowing the trial court the first opportunity to address and correct the problem." State v. Beck, 2007 UT 60, T8, 165 P.3d 1225. In this case, the trial court addressed both enhancements and elements. Indeed, the trial court cited to relevant authority and ultimately concluded that subsection (6)(a) is "not just a sentencing enhancement" but rather a new offense.

4 . The right to a jury trial is also secured by Article I, Section 12 of the Utah Constitution. However, Palmer does not provide a separate analysis based on the Utah Constitution. Indeed, Palmer's list of controlling statutes only contains the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. "Therefore, we address only the federal provision." State v. Jensen, 818 P.2d 551, 552 n. 2 (Utah 1991); see also State v. Worwood, 2007 UT 47, 1 18, 164 P.3d 397 ("[Clursory references to the state constitution within arguments otherwise dedicated to a federal constitutional claim are inadequate.").

5 . The Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial was incorporated through the Fourteenth Amendment and has been declared binding on the states. See Duncan v. Louisiana, 391 U.S. 145, 149, 88 S.Ct. 1444, 20 LEd.2d 491 (1968) ("[Wle hold that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees a right of jury trial in all criminal cases which-were they to be tried in a {federal court-would come within the Sixth Amendment's guarantee.").

6 . This is an exception to the more general rule that sentence enhancements "must be ... submitted to a jury, and proven beyond a reasonable doubt" if they "increase[ ] the maximum penalty for a crime." Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 476, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 LBEd.2d 435 (2000). Palmer suggests this exception stands on somewhat shaky footing. See id. at 489, 120 S.Ct. 2348 (suggesting the prior conviction exception was incorrectly decided); Rangel-Reyes v. United States, 547 U.S. 1200, 1201, 126 S.C. 2873, 2874, 165 L.Ed.2d 910 (2006) (denying cert.) (Thomas, J., dissenting) ("[lt has long been clear that a majority of this Court now rejects that exception."). But see id. (Stevens, J., concurring) ("While I continue to believe that Almendarez-Torres was wrongly decided, that is not a sufficient reason for revisiting the issue.... The doctrine of stare decisis provides sufficient basis for the denial of certiorari in these cases." (citing Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 118 S.Ct 1219, 140 LEd.2d 350 (1998))). At this time, the exception still stands and has recently been reaffirmed. See Cunning ham v. California, 549 U.S. 270, 127 S.Ct. 856, 864, 869, 166 LEd.2d 856 (2007) ("Other than a prior conviction ... any fact that increases the penalty for a crime ... must be submitted to a jury ...." (internal quotation marks omitted)); United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 231, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 LEd.2d 621 (2005) (same). Unless and until Almendarez-Torres is actually reversed, it is controlling precedent on the scope of Palmer's Sixth Amendment rights.

7 . Palmer concedes that these elements were satisfied.

8 . Palmer has neither cited the Utah Constitution nor argued a broader protection here.

9 . The Supreme Court not only carved out the exception for recidivism, but also suggested that recidivism will generally be treated as a sentence enhancement. See Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 230, 234-35, 243-44, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 LEd.2d 350 (1998) ("[Tlo hold that the Constitution requires that recidivism be deemed an element of petitioner's offense would mark an abrupt departure from a longstanding tradition of treating recidivism as going to the punishment only." (alteration and internal quotation marks omitted)); Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 488, 496, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000) ("[Rlecidivism does not relate to the commission of the offense." (internal quotation marks omitted)).

10 . Palmer's own arguments appear to recognize subsection 6(a)'s role as an enhancement provision. Palmer's argument to the trial court was that "his right to have the jury ... consider the enhancement" was improperly waived. Likewise, Palmer identified the issue on appeal as, "Whether the trial court violated Palmer's constitutional right to have a jury consider his prior DUI convictions for enhancement purposes ...." (Emphasis added.)

11 . The dissent argues Harris "has not been altered, distinguished, or reversed," see infra 128, and that "no other case has contradicted" its holding that "prior convictions are to be treated as an element," see infra 130. However, these cases state that subsection (6)(a) is an enhancement provision. The explicit language of these rulings, in light of the post-Harris precedent of the United States Supreme Court clearly distinguishing between elements and enhancements, convinces us that Harris has at least been put into question. See, eg. Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 476, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 LEd.2d 435 (2000); Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224, 229-35, 118 S.Ct. 1219, 140 L.Ed.2d 350 (1998). Moreover, in the more than fifty years since Harris was decided, neither Utah appellate court has relied on Harris for the proposition the dissent suggests.

12 . Regardless of whether the factors contained in section 41-6~44(3)(a)Gi)(A)-(C) are deemed elements, as argued by the dissent, or enhancements that increase the maximum penalty, as we hold, these factors must be submitted to the jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. See Ap-prendi, 530 U.S. at 476, 120 S.Ci. 2348. In contrast, recidivist enhancements stand on a unique legal footing that allows the trial judge to determine if the defendant is a repeat offender. Consequently, the designation of a factor as an enhancement or an element will determine whether that fact must be proved to obtain a conviction, or merely to enhance the punishment after conviction. Designation as an enhancement will not, however, definitively answer the question of whether the jury must decide whether that fact has been proved.

13 . The validity of Rodriguez-Gonzales is in question. The Ninth Circuit, sitting en banc, considered and rejected a similar argument in 2002. See United States v. Corona-Sanchez, 291 F.3d 1201, 1208-11 (9th Cir.2002) (en banc), overruled in part by United States v. Rodriquez, - U.S. , 128 S.Ct 1783, 170 LEd.2d 719 (2008) (holding that "maximum penalty prescribed by law" as used in federal Armed Career Criminal Act includes any time added under recidivist enhancements). Notably, the en banc majority did so over the dissent's objection that "[rlaising the level of crime from a misdemeanor to a felony adds such grave consequences for the individual charged with a crime that it seems wholly inconceivable that the element which causes this escalation can be deemed merely a sentencing factor." Id. at 1218-19 (Kozinski, J., dissenting). Moreover, since the decision in Rodriguez-Gonzales, the Ninth Circuit has held that the increase of a defendant's sentence from twenty years in prison to "a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment based on [the trial court's] finding that [defendant] had two prior" convictions was a sentencing factor which did not need to be submitted to the jury. United States v. McCaney, 177 Fed.Appx. 704, 709-10 (Oth Cir.), cert. denied, - U.S. --, 127 S.Ct. 831, 166 L.Ed.2d 668 (2006).

14 . Under the dissent's argument, the State would be incapable of "enhancing" numerous crimes, as opposed to charging them as new crimes with separate "elements," regardless of the number of defendant's prior convictions. Under Utah law, even the most severe misdemeanor is punishable by imprisonment "for a term not exceeding one year." Utah Code Ann. § 76-3-204 (2003). Thus, anytime the legislature determines the punishment for a repeat offender should extend incarceration beyond one year, it must do so by changing the level of the offense to a felony.

15 . Proof of Palmer's previous convictions was submitted by exhibit to the trial court and included in the record on appeal.

16 . Even if we agreed with the dissent that Palmer has a constitutional right to have his prior convictions submitted to the jury, any violation of that right may very well be subject to harmless-error analysis-an issue we need not address today. See Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1, 9-13, 119 S.Ct. 1827, 144 LEd.2d 35 (1999) (applying harmless error analysis, rather than structural error, where jury was not instructed on one element of the offense); Washington v. Recuenco, 548 U.S. 212, 126 S.Ct. 2546, 2551-53, 165 L.Ed.2d 466 (2006) ("Failure tio submit a sentencing factor to the jury, like failure to submit an element to the jury, is not structural error.").