Case Title: State v. Clark

Citation: 175 Vt. 506, 2003 VT 29, 825 A.2d 803

Docket Number: 2002-362

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 2003-03-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
State v. Clark (2002-362); 175 Vt. 506; 825 A.2d 803

2003 VT 29

[Filed 27-Mar-2003]

                                 ENTRY ORDER

                                 2003 VT 29

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 2002-362

                              MARCH TERM, 2003

  State of Vermont	               }	APPEALED FROM:
                                       }
                                       }
       v.	                       }	District Court of Vermont,
                                       }	Unit No. 3, Franklin Circuit
  Ernest Clark	                       }
                                       }	DOCKET NOS. 71-7-02 Frcs and
                                                            1018-7-02 Frcr

                                                Trial Judge: Charon A. True

             In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       ¶  1.  The State appeals the trial court's order dismissing charges
  against defendant at arraignment and during a preliminary civil suspension
  hearing.  The State filed an information and affidavit alleging that
  defendant had operated a motor vehicle on a public highway while under the
  influence of alcohol.  Although an initial finding of probable cause had
  been made by the court pursuant to V.R.Cr.P. 5(c), the court entertained
  defendant's motion, at arraignment, to review that finding and dismiss the
  criminal and civil cases.  Defendant argued that the investigating
  officer's affidavit showed that he did not have reasonable grounds to stop
  defendant.  The State opposed the motion on the ground that the basis for
  the stop was irrelevant to the probable cause determination and that the
  stop issue should be raised and decided in a subsequent hearing.  The court
  withdrew its finding of probable cause and dismissed the information
  without prejudice.  We reverse.

       ¶  2.  As we held in State v. Roya, 169 Vt. 572, 572,