SMBA CLE: Alcohol Violations: The Basics
Getting the Judge to say the word “Sustained” to a
Defense Counsel’s Motion: A Tricky Proposition
Joseph S. Passanise
2974 E. Battlefield Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: (417) 882-9300 Fax: (417) 882-9310
-www.entrapped.com-
Getting the Judge to say the word “Sustained”
When You Handle a DWI Case it’s
Like Holding up the Bullseye for
the Firing Squad
Getting the Judge to say the word “Sustained”
Movie Clip Link – Drunk Golf Guy
These are “Our” Clients Before
They Get in the Car
Getting the Judge to say the word “Sustained”
Movie Clip Link – My Cousin Vinny
The Three Biggest Lies
1)The Check is in the mail.
2)I will respect you in the morning.
3)I’m from the Government,
and I’m here to help.
If you have a DWI Case, then the Government
needs our client’s help to make the DWI.
General Overview
1)Anatomy of a DWI (Case Law)
A. The Stop-It Doesn’t Take Much
1. Four Categories Discussed
2. Some Law to Hang Your Hat On
B. Pre-Arrest Tests
1. Field Sobriety Tests (Case Law)
2. Portable Breath Test (Case Law)
C. Post-Arrest
1. Breath Test (Case Law)
General Overview
2)Motions
A. Client Cleanup
B. Initial Motions
C. Pre-Trial
D. Trial
3)Miscellaneous
A. Investigatory Subpoena
B. State v. Adams
C. Admissibility of Scientific Evidence
D. Evidence-Admission of NHTSA Guidelines
General Overview
4)DWI Procedure (Suggestions)
A. Blow or Not to Blow
B. Repeat Offenders
C. Questions
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
1. Four Categories
A. Moving Traffic Violation/Equipment Violation
1. Speeding
2. Turn Signal
3. Stop Sign
4. Cross Center Line
5. License Plate Light Out
6. Expired Tags
7. Tail Light Out
8. Cracked Windshield
9. Headlight Out
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
2. Reasonable Suspicion/“Unusual Operation”
The “Terry Stop”
A. State v. Huckin, 847 S.W.2d 951 (S.D. 1993)
1. “In order to make a valid traffic stop, the
officer need only have a reasonable suspicion
criminal activity is taking place when he makes
the stop.”
B. State v. Malaney, 871 S.W.2d 634 (S.D. 1994)
1. Unusual Operation-Weave Within Lane
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
3. ‘Good Faith’ Exception?
A. Teat v. Director of Revenue,
806 S.W.2d 754 (W.D. 1991)
1. One way street sign ordinance not passed
B. People v. Hamilton,
102 Cal. App. 4th 1311 (2002)
1. Plates renewed, but lag in computer
reporting
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
4. The Small Town Excuse for the Stop
A. State v. Spurgeon,
907 S.W.2d 798 (S.D. 1995)
1. Pulled Defendant Over Previously
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
II. Some Law to Hang Your Hat On
A. Read the Statute/Ordinance
1. RSMO §301.020-single lane
a. 4 Lane Road/Cross Over Center Lane?
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
II. Some Law to Hang Your Hat On (Cont.)
B. Case Law (Examples)
 State v. Abeln,
136 S.W.3d 803 (W.D. 2004), fog lane case
 State v. Mendoza,
75 S.W.3d 842 (S.D. 2002), move over law
 State v. Johnson,
148 S.W.3d 338 (W.D. 2004), defendant
dropped off a person and entered flow of
traffic without turn signal
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
II. Some Law to Hang Your Hat On (Cont.)
B. Case Law (Examples)-Cont.
No Hunches
a. State v. Schmutz,
100 S.W.3d 876 (S.D. 2003)
1. Shopping center lane at night
Anatomy of a DWI: The Stop
II. Some Law to Hang Your Hat On (Cont.)
C. Sufficiency of the Evidence Argument
a. Uncorroborated, Observational
Testimony by Officer
1. No Video Tape
2. No Proof of Underlying Charge
(Speeding)
Anatomy of a DWI: Pre-Arrest
DEVELOP THE FACTS
I. Field Sobriety Tests
A. HGN
B. Walk Straight Line
C. Stand on One Foot
D. Portable Breath Test
Anatomy of a DWI: Pre-Arrest
I. Field Sobriety Tests
1. State v. Rose,
86 S.W.3d 90 (W.D. 2002)
a. Does Not Equate to BAC #
2. Brown v. Director of Revenue,
85 S.W.3d 1 (Mo. S. Ct. 2002)
a. “Court can disregard evidence of
improper FST’s when making PC
decision.”
Anatomy of a DWI: Pre-Arrest
II. Portable Breath Tests
1. State v. Stottlemyre,
35 S.W.3d 854 (W.D. 2001)
a. DOR requirements do not apply specifically
RSMO §577.020
RSMO §577.026
2. State v. Duncan,
27 S.W.3d 486 (E.D. 2000)
Anatomy of a DWI: Pre-Arrest
II. Portable Breath Tests (Cont.)
3. Paty v. Director of Revenue,
168 S.W.3d 625 (E.D. 2003)
a. Lack of Training
b. No evidence of calibration
4. York v. Director of Revenue,
186 S.W.3d 267 (Mo. S. Ct. 2006)
a. DOR requirements do not apply specifically
b. No 20 minutes
Anatomy of a DWI: Pre-Arrest
York-Argue
The Mere Fact that an Individual Exhibited:
1. Bloodshot Eyes
2. Watery/Glassy Eyes
3. Strong Odor of Alcohol on Breath
4. Admits to Drinking
DOES NOT REQUIRE A FINDING OF P/C
Anatomy of a DWI: Post-Arrest
I. Breath Test (Case Law)
1. Coyle v. Director of Revenue,
181 S.W.3d 62 (S. Ct. 2005)
a. Did Not Object to 15 min. Burden
shifts to driver to overcome prima
facie case
2. Bhakta v. Director of Revenue,
182 S.W.3d 662 (E.D. 2006)
Anatomy of a DWI: Post-Arrest
I. Breath Test (Case Law)-Cont.
3. Martin v. Director of Revenue,
142 S.W.3d 851 (S.D. 2006)
4. Vanderpool v. Director of Revenue,
(2006 WL 1792597) (W.D. 2006)
a. Object to 15 min.
b. Burden stays with Director
Motions
Some Ideas and Suggestions
I.
Client Clean Up
II.
Initial Motions
III. Pre-Trial
IV.
Trial
Motions
I. Client Clean Up
A. Application to Expunge DWI
1. Defines Alcohol Contact
a. Fowler, 823 S.W.2d 134 (E.D. 1992)
b. Russell, 83 S.W.3d 72 (W.D. 2002)
B. Judgment for Expungement of DWI
C. Application to Expunge MIP
D. Judgment for Expungement of MIP
E. 12CSR Letter to remove old tickets
Motions
II. Initial Motions
1. Entry of Appearance/Bill of Particulars
2. Motion for Disclosure of Impeaching
Information
3. Motion for Discovery-DWI (General)
4. Defendant’s Request for Disclosure by
Court Order
Motions
III. Pre-Trial Motions
5. Motion for Specific Discovery of
Officer’s Training Manuel
6. Motion for Specific Discovery of Breath
Machine Maintenance Records
7. Motion for Specific Discovery of
Portable Breath Test Device
8. Motion for Specific Discovery of
Criminalist’s Records
9. Motion to Suppress (General)
Motions
III. Pre-Trial Motions (Cont.)
10. Motion to Suppress Chemical Test
11. Motion in Limine (DRE)
12. Motion to Suppress Opinion Testimony
of Officer Regarding Intoxication
13. Motion to Suppress Opinion Testimony of
Officer Regarding the Issue of Intoxication
14. Defendant’s Motion to Suppress and/or Motion
in Limine to Exclude Blood Test Results
from Evidence During Trial and
Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion
a. SWAB used Isopropanol
Motions
III. Pre-Trial Motions (Cont.)
15. Defendant’s Motion to Redact
Objectionable Portions of
Video/Audio Tape Evidence and
Defendant’s Motion in Limine
16. Motion to Suppress Investigative
Materials Obtained by Use of an
Investigative Subpoena
17. Motion for Admission of Polygraph
Procedure and Test Results
Motions
III. Pre-Trial Motions (Cont.)
18. Defendant’s Motion in Limine to
Preclude Admission of Evidence at
Trial Correlating Defendant’s
Performance on Standardized Field
Sobriety Tests with a Specific Blood
Alcohol Content
19. Preclude Admission of Evidence at
Trial Relating to the Portable Breath
Test
Motions
III. Pre-Trial Motions (Cont.)
20. Motion In Limine to Preclude Admission of
Evidence at Trial of Defendant’s Alleged
Refusal to Submit to Field Sobriety Testing
a. State v. Schneider, 736 S.W.2d 392
Adverse Inference
b. Video or Lack There Of
c. Move Defendant out of Purview of Camera
d. CAIN, 130 S.W.3d 1 (S.D. 2003)
21. Defendant’s Response to State’s Request for
Discovery
Motions
IV. Trial Motions
22. Defendant’s Objection to Admission of
Breath Test Results
23. Objection to Criminalist’s Test Results
24. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal at
the Close of State’s Evidence
25. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal at
the Close of All Evidence
Miscellaneous
1. Investigatory Subpoenas
A. RSMO §56.085, Medical Records
B. Example of Greene County
(Blue Subpoena)
C. Write Hospital or Doctor
Miscellaneous (Cont.)
RSMO §56.085
In the course of a criminal investigation, the prosecuting
or circuit attorney may request the circuit or associate
circuit judge to issue a subpoena to any witness who may
have information for the purpose of oral examination
under oath to require the production of books, papers,
records, or other material of any evidentiary nature at the
office of the prosecuting or circuit attorney requesting
the subpoena
Subpoena
Miscellaneous
2. State v. Adams, (sufficiency of evidence)
163 S.W.3d 35 (S.D. 2005)
A. .061
B. Accident
C. Odor-Moderate
D. Glassy-Bloodshot
E. Intoxicated
F. FST’s/PBT
G. “Any intoxication that in any manner impairs
the ability of a person to operate an auto is
sufficient to sustain a conviction.”
 State v. Wilson, 846 S.W.2d 796 (S.W. 1993)
Miscellaneous
3. Admissibility of Scientific Evidence
A. Criminal
Frye v. United States,
293 F 1013 (DC 1923)
B. Civil
State Board of Registration for Healing
Arts v. McDonagh,
123 S.W.3d 146 (MO S. Ct. 2003)
Miscellaneous
 RSMO §490.065 Admissibility of Scientific Evidence
490.065. 1
“1. In any civil action, if scientific, technical or other
specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to
understand the evidence or to determine a fact in
issue, a witness qualified as an expert by
knowledge, skill, experience, training, or
education may testify thereto in the form of an
opinion or otherwise.” Id.
Miscellaneous
490.065. 3
“3. The facts or data in a particular case upon which
an expert bases an opinion or inference may be those
perceived by or made known to him at or before the
hearing and must be of a type reasonable relied upon
by experts in the field in forming opinions or
inferences upon the subject and must be otherwise
reasonably reliable.” Id.
Miscellaneous
4. Admission of NHTSA Guidelines
A. Rodriguez v. Suzuki Motor Corp.,
996 S.W.2d 47 (MO S. Ct. 1999)
1. Establish Officer Trained under NHTSA
2. Since 1984, Dept. of Public Safety
3. Certified Copy
4. RSMO §490.220 – U.S. Gov. Records
Exception
Miscellaneous
B. Trade Journal Exception
1. Stuart v. Director of Revenue,
761 S.W.2d 234 (S.D. 1988)
2. PBT Manuel/NHTSA Manual
DWI Procedure
A. Blow or Not to Blow
B. Repeat Offenders
C. Questions
D. Sources
1. Carl Ward/Jeff Eastman/Bob Childress
2. Gene Gietzen
Getting the Judge to say the word “Sustained”
Movie Clip Link – Liar Liar
Still Frustrated?
Here’s Some Advice For Your Clients
SMBA CLE: Alcohol Violations: The Basics
Thank You
Joseph S. Passanise
2974 E. Battlefield Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: (417) 882-9300 Fax: (417) 882-9310
- WWW.ENTRAPPED.COM-