Title: State, Motor Vehicle Div. v. Dayhoff

State: colorado

Issuer: Colorado Supreme Court

Document:

609 P.2d 119 (1980) STATE of Colorado, MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION, Petitioner, v. Roger Edwin DAYHOFF, Respondent. STATE of Colorado, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION, Petitioner, v. Michael Lee EMMER, Respondent. Thomas Robert McCOY, Petitioner, v. STATE of Colorado, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION, Respondent. Nos. 79SC114, 79SC132. Supreme Court of Colorado, En Banc. March 31, 1980. J. D. MacFarlane, Atty. Gen., Richard F. Hennessey, Deputy Atty. Gen., Mary J. *120 Mullarkey, Sol. Gen., Yvette P. Fossum, Asst. Atty. Gen., Denver, for petitioner in No. 79SC114. James J. Kissell, Boulder, for respondent, Roger E. Dayhoff. Robert L. Goodbinder, Grand Junction, for respondent, Michael Lee Emmer. Dana F. Strout, Denver, for petitioner in No. 79SC132. J. D. MacFarlane, Atty. Gen., Richard F. Hennessey, Deputy Atty. Gen., Mary J. Mullarkey, Sol. Gen., Terre Lee Rushton, Asst. Atty. Gen., Denver, for respondent in No. 79SC132. ERICKSON, Justice. We granted certiorari in these consolidated cases to reconcile conflicting holdings of two departments of the court of appeals. See Dayhoff v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division, Colo.App., 595 P.2d 1051 (1979); McCoy v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division, Colo.App., 595 P.2d 706 (1979). The issue before both departments was whether the driver's license revocation provision of the implied consent law, section 42-4-1202(3)(e), C.R.S.1973, applies to the operator of a motor vehicle who is not driving on a public highway. We hold that the provisions do not apply when the operator is not driving on a public highway, and, accordingly, we reverse the court of appeals in McCoy, and affirm it in Dayhoff. Section 42-4-1202(3)(a), C.R.S.1973 provides that: The term "highway" is defined in section 42-1-102(33), C.R.S.1973 as: Thus, since it is conceded by all parties that the individuals whose licenses were revoked were not operating a motor vehicle on a public highway, the revocation procedures specified in section 42-4-1202(3)(e) are not applicable. The prosecution asserts that the provisions of section 42-4-103, C.R.S.1973 determine the scope of the implied consent law and require a contrary result. Section 42-4-103 provides: The prosecution emphasizes that the substantive offenses of driving under the influence and driving while ability is impaired are applicable regardless of where the driving takes place. Clark v. Bunnell, 172 Colo. 32, 470 P.2d 42 (1970). The prosecution's argument was forcefully rebutted by Judge Enoch in Dayhoff v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division with these words: In addition, we are persuaded by the fact that other courts have rejected similar arguments on the basis of the specific language contained in their respective implied consent statutes. See State v. Halverson, 292 Minn. 468, 194 N.W.2d 573 (1972). In Halverson, for example, the Minnesota Supreme Court stated: See also, Weber v. Orr, 274 Cal. App. 2d 288, 79 Cal. Rptr. 297 (1969). Finally, we adhere to the well-established rule that where specific and general statutes conflict, the provisions of the specific statute prevail. See e.g., Weather Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc. v. Pinon Springs Condominiums, Inc., 192 Colo. 495, 563 P.2d 346 (1977); Air Pollution Control Commission v. District Court, 193 Colo. 146, 563 P.2d 351 (1977); Burton v. Denver, 99 Colo. 207, 61 P.2d 856 (1936). Although it is true that section 42-4-103(2)(b) provides for a specific category of exceptions to the general rule of section 42-4-103, it does not follow that there is a conflict with the more specific provisions of section 42-4-1202(3)(a). It was within the province of the legislature to create an exception to an exception through its exemption of the provisions of section 42-4-1202(3)(a) from the more general rule established in section 42-4-103(2)(b). Given the plain language of the implied consent statute, no other construction is warranted. Accordingly, the court of appeals' decision in McCoy v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division is reversed, and its decision in Dayhoff v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division is affirmed. ROVIRA, J., dissents. GROVES, J., does not participate. ROVIRA, Justice, dissenting: I respectfully dissent. I subscribe to the analysis of Judge Berman in his dissent in Dayhoff v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division, Colo.App., 595 P.2d 1051 (1979), and to the majority opinion in McCoy v. Colorado Motor Vehicle Division, Colo.App., 595 P.2d 706 (1979), and little would be gained by restating that which has been well said. In my view, legislative intent can best be ascertained by a close reading of the words of the statute, and where there is apparent conflict between two statutes, construction should go in the direction of public interest.