Title: Alvarado v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation

State: north-dakota

Issuer: North Dakota Supreme Court

Document:

)LOHG  E\&OHUNRI6XSUHPH&RXUW ,17+(6835(0(&2857 67$7(2)1257+'$.27$  1' (ZHU1$OYDUDGR $SSHOOHH Y 1RUWK'DNRWD'HSDUWPHQWRI7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ $SSHOODQW 1R  $SSHDOIURPWKH'LVWULFW&RXUWRI'XQQ&RXQW\6RXWKZHVW-XGLFLDO'LVWULFW WKH+RQRUDEOH-DPHV'*LRQ-XGJH $)),50(' 2SLQLRQRIWKH&RXUWE\-HQVHQ-XVWLFH &KDG50F&DEH%LVPDUFN1'IRUDSSHOOHH 'RXJODV % $QGHUVRQ $VVLVWDQW $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO %LVPDUFN 1' IRU DSSHOODQW $OYDUDGRY1''HS¶W2I7UDQVS 1R  -HQVHQ-XVWLFH >@ 7KH1RUWK'DNRWD'HSDUWPHQWRI7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ 1''27 DSSHDOVIURPD GLVWULFWFRXUWMXGJPHQWUHYHUVLQJDQDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHU VGHFLVLRQUHYRNLQJ $OYDUDGR¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUDSHULRGRIGD\V1''27DUJXHVWKDWWKH GLVWULFWFRXUWHUUHGLQILQGLQJWKDWDSDUWLDOUHDGLQJRIWKHLPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\ UHQGHUHG$OYDUDGR¶VUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVWLQYDOLG2XUVWDWXWHVUHTXLUH DQRSHUDWRUWRUHIXVHDUHTXHVW³WRVXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ ´$UHTXHVW IRUWHVWLQJSUHFHGHGE\DQLQFRPSOHWHRULQDFFXUDWHDGYLVRU\LVQRWDUHTXHVW³WR VXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ ´:HDIILUPWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWUHYHUVHWKH GHFLVLRQ RI WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYH KHDULQJ RIILFHU DQG UHLQVWDWH $OYDUDGR¶V GULYLQJ SULYLOHJHV >@ 7KHIDFWVRIWKLVFDVHDUHQRWLQGLVSXWH$OYDUDGRZDVVWRSSHGIRUDWUDIILF YLRODWLRQ  $OYDUDGR ZDV VXEVHTXHQWO\ DUUHVWHG IRU GULYLQJ XQGHU WKH LQIOXHQFH )ROORZLQJKLVDUUHVW$OYDUDGRZDVUHDGDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\7KH SDUWLDODGYLVRU\IDLOHGWRLQIRUPKLPWKDWUHIXVLQJWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWFRXOGEH WUHDWHGDVDFULPH$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVW$WLVVXHLVZKHWKHU $OYDUDGR¶VUHIXVDOFDQEHGHWHUPLQHGWRKDYHEHHQDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU 1'&& ZKHQKHZDVQRWSURYLGHGZLWKWKHFRPSOHWHLPSOLHGFRQVHQW DGYLVRU\DVSURYLGHGE\1'&&  >@ $OYDUDGRDUJXHVWKDWDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJUHTXLUHVDUHTXHVW IRUWHVWLQJXQGHU1'&& DQG1'&& UHTXLUHVDFRPSOHWH LPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\SUHFHGHDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ$OYDUDGRUHOLHVRQRXUSULRU RSLQLRQLQThrolson v. BackesWRVXSSRUWKLVDVVHUWLRQWKDWDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQW ZDUQLQJLVDQLQYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJDQGSUHYHQWVDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWDQRSHUDWRU KDVUHIXVHGDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ1:G 1'  See also State v. Bauer1'1:G Gardner v. N.D. Dep't. of Transp.  1'1:G,QThrolsonZHREVHUYHG³>L@WLVD[LRPDWLFWKDW EHIRUHWKHUHFDQEHDµUHIXVDO¶WRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU6HFWLRQ WKHUHPXVW EHDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWH´Throlson1:GDW:H KDYHIXUWKHUQRWHGWKHIROORZLQJLQWKHFRQWH[WRIGHWHUPLQLQJZKHWKHUDQRSHUDWRUKDV UHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVW  $QDUUHVWE\LWVHOILVQRWHQRXJKWRWULJJHUWKHUHTXLUHGWHVWLQJXQGHU 1'&& 7KHDUUHVWLQJRIILFHUPXVWDOVRLQIRUPWKHGULYHUWKDW KHLVRUZLOOEHFKDUJHGZLWKGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFHRUEHLQJLQ DFWXDOSK\VLFDOFRQWUROSeeThrolson v. Backes1:G 1'   KROGLQJIDLOXUHWRLQIRUPGULYHUDERXWDOFRKROFKDUJHXSRQ DUUHVWPDGHWHVWUHTXHVWXQGHU1'&& LQHIIHFWLYH +HUH +ROWHQHYHULQIRUPHG6FRWWWKDWKHZDVRUZRXOGEHFKDUJHGZLWKDQ DOFRKRO RIIHQVH DQG WKH RIILFHU GLG QRW GLUHFW D WHVW XQGHU 1'&&   Scott v. N.D. DOT1:G 1'   >@ 7KHSHQDOW\RIUHYRFDWLRQRIDQRSHUDWRU¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUUHIXVLQJWR VXEPLWWRDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVLPSRVHGE\1'&& ,WSURYLGHVWKDWWKH SHQDOW\RIUHYRFDWLRQLVLPSRVHG³>L@IDSHUVRQUHIXVHVWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU VHFWLRQ ´DQGUHYRFDWLRQLVLPSRVHGZKHQLWKDVEHHQGHWHUPLQHG³WKHSHUVRQ KDGUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWRWKHWHVWRUWHVWVXQGHUVHFWLRQ ´7KHXQDPELJXRXV ODQJXDJH RI  1'&&    UHTXLUHV D UHTXHVW IRU D WHVW EH PDGH XQGHU 1'&&     $GGLWLRQDOO\ WKH VWDWXWRU\ JXLGDQFH IRU FRQGXFWLQJ WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJVSHFLILFDOO\SURYLGHV³>W@KHVFRSHRIDKHDULQJIRUUHIXVLQJWR VXEPLWWRDWHVWXQGHUVHFWLRQ ´1'&&  >@ 2XUSULRUGHFLVLRQVLQThrolsonBauerDQGScottVXSSRUWWKHFRQFOXVLRQWKDW DQRSHUDWRU¶VUHIXVDOLVSUHGLFDWHGXSRQDYDOLGUHTXHVWWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJSXUVXDQW WR1'&& 7KHODQJXDJHRI1'&& UHODWLQJWRWKH LPSRVLWLRQRIUHYRFDWLRQDVDSHQDOW\DQG1'&& UHODWLQJWRKRZWKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJLVFRQGXFWHGERWKUHTXLUHDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJEHPDGHXQGHU 1'&& :HFRQFOXGHWKDWDSUHUHTXLVLWHWRDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWDQ RSHUDWRUKDVUHIXVHGDUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJLVILQGLQJWKDWWKHUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJZDV PDGHXQGHU1'&&   >@ 7KLV &RXUW UHYLHZV DGPLQLVWUDWLYH DJHQF\ GHFLVLRQV WR VXVSHQG GULYLQJ SULYLOHJHVXQGHU1'&&FKDQGDFFRUGVJUHDWGHIHUHQFHWRWKHDJHQF\¶V GHFLVLRQGuthmiller, v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp1'  1:G7KLV &RXUWPXVWDIILUPDQDJHQF\¶VGHFLVLRQXQOHVV 7KHRUGHULVQRWLQDFFRUGDQFHZLWKWKHODZ  7KHFRQFOXVLRQVRIODZDQGRUGHURIWKHDJHQF\DUHQRW VXSSRUWHGE\LWVILQGLQJVRIIDFW  Id >@ 7KHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUIRXQGWKDW$OYDUDGRZDV³UHDGDSDUWLDO LPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\´ZKLFK³GLGQRWLQIRUP0U$OYDUDGRWKDWUHIXVDORIWKH FKHPLFDOEUHDWKWHVWZDVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVD'8,´7KH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUWKHUHDIWHUFRQFOXGHG$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRVXEPLWWR WHVWLQJ >@ :HKDYHFRQFOXGHGWKHOHJLVODWXUHXQDPELJXRXVO\UHTXLUHGDUHTXHVWIRUD UHIXVDOEHSUHFHGHGE\DUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJPDGHLQFRPSOLDQFHZLWK1'&&  :KLOHWKLV&RXUWKDVDOORZHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWWRGHYLDWHIURPDYHUEDWLP UHDGLQJRIWKHVWDWXWRU\ODQJXDJHRI1'&&   D ZHGRUHTXLUHWKDW WKHDGYLVRU\FRPPXQLFDWHDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKHVWDWXWHSeeState v. Vigen 1' 1:G see also Korb v. N.D. Dep't of Transp. 1' 1:G  ILQGLQJWKDW1'&&   D SURYLGHV WKHPDQGDWRU\ODQJXDJHWKDWPXVWEHLQFOXGHGLQWKHDGYLVRU\ %HFDXVH$OYDUDGR ZDVRQO\SURYLGHGZLWKDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQWZDUQLQJ KHZDVQRWLQIRUPHGWKDW UHIXVLQJWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWFRXOGEHWUHDWHGDVD³FULPH´ WKHUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJ ZDVQHLWKHULQFRPSOLDQFHZLWK1'&& QRUVXIILFLHQWWRUHVXOWLQD UHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJ:HWKHUHIRUHFRQFOXGHWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHGHWHUPLQDWLRQ WKDW$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVHLWKHUQRWLQFRPSOLDQFHZLWKWKHODZ RUQRWVXSSRUWHGE\WKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHILQGLQJV  > @ $UHTXHVWWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJPXVWEHPDGHLQDFFRUGDQFHWR1'&&  WRVXSSRUWDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWWKHUHKDVEHHQDUHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJ XQGHU1'&& $UHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJVXEVHTXHQWWRDSDUWLDOLPSOLHG FRQVHQWZDUQLQJLVQRWDUHTXHVWWRWHVWXQGHU1'&& :HDIILUPWKH GLVWULFWFRXUWUHYHUVHWKHGHFLVLRQRIWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRIILFHUDQGUHLQVWDWH $OYDUDGR¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHV >@ -RQ--HQVHQ -HURG(7XIWH /LVD)DLU0F(YHUV ,&RQFXULQWKHUHVXOW 'DQLHO-&URWKHUV 9DQGH:DOOH&KLHI-XVWLFHFRQFXUULQJVSHFLDOO\ >@ 6HFWLRQ    D  1'&& UHTXLUHV VSHFLILF LQIRUPDWLRQ EH FRPPXQLFDWHGE\ODZHQIRUFHPHQWZKHQUHTXHVWLQJDQLQGLYLGXDODUUHVWHGIRUGULYLQJ XQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFHVXEPLWWRFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJState v. Vigen 1'  1:G,QDGGLWLRQWRLQIRUPLQJLQGLYLGXDOVWKDW1RUWK'DNRWDODZUHTXLUHVWKHP WRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWWKHVWDWXWHPDQGDWHVWKDWODZHQIRUFHPHQWRIILFHUV³VKDOO LQIRUPWKHLQGLYLGXDOUHIXVDOWRWDNHDEUHDWKRUXULQHWHVWLVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKH VDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH´1'&&   D %HIRUHD FKHPLFDOWHVWPD\EHDGPLQLVWHUHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWPXVWUHDGWKH³FRPSOHWHLPSOLHG FRQVHQWDGYLVRU\´State v. O’Connor1'1:G)RUDQ DGYLVRU\WREHFRQVLGHUHG³FRPSOHWH´DOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQLQWKHVWDWXWHPXVW EHFRPPXQLFDWHGWRWKHLQGLYLGXDOVigenDW³,WLVD[LRPDWLFWKDWEHIRUHWKHUHFDQ EHDµUHIXVDO¶WRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU6HFWLRQ WKHUHPXVWEHDYDOLG UHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWH´Gardner v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp.1' 1:G quoting Throlson v. Backes1:G 1'   see alsoState v. Bauer1'1:G >@ :KLOHWKLV&RXUWKDVDOORZHGODZHQIRUFHPHQWWRGHYLDWHIURPDYHUEDWLP UHDGLQJRIWKHVWDWXWRU\ODQJXDJHRI1'&&   D ZHGRUHTXLUHWKDWWKH  DGYLVRU\FRPPXQLFDWHDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKHVWDWXWHSee Vigen 1'  1:G see also Korb v. N.D. Dep’t of Transp.1'  1:G  ILQGLQJWKDW1'&&   D SURYLGHVWKHPDQGDWRU\ ODQJXDJHWKDWPXVWEHLQFOXGHGLQWKHDGYLVRU\ ,IDOOVXEVWDQWLYHLQIRUPDWLRQRIWKH VWDWXWHLVQRWFRPPXQLFDWHGDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJXQGHUWKHVWDWXWHGRHVQRW RFFXU:LWKRXWDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJLQFOXGLQJDYDOLGDGYLVRU\WKHUHFDQEHQR UHIXVDOWRVXEPLWWRWHVWLQJXQGHU1'&& See Gardner1' 1:G >@ ,QO’ConnorDQRIILFHUSURYLGHGDQLQGLYLGXDO³ZLWKDSDUWLDOLPSOLHGFRQVHQW DGYLVRU\ZKLFKIDLOHGWRLQIRUPKLPWKDWUHIXVDOWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWµLVDFULPH SXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH¶´ O’Connor1' 1:G quoting 1'&&   D :HGHWHUPLQHGWKDW XQGHUWKHSODLQWHUPVRI1'&&   E WHVWUHVXOWVREWDLQHGIROORZLQJ DQLQFRPSOHWHDGYLVRU\ZHUHLQDGPLVVLEOHLQDFULPLQDOSURFHHGLQJIRUGULYLQJXQGHU WKHLQIOXHQFHId7KH&RXUWDOVRGLVFXVVHGWKHLQDGPLVVLELOLW\RIYROXQWDU\WHVWUHVXOWV ZKHUHDSURSHULPSOLHGFRQVHQWDJUHHPHQWLVQRWUHDGIdDW7KHSODLQODQJXDJH RI1'&&   D UHTXLUHVDYDOLGUHTXHVWIRUWHVWLQJEHIRUHDQ\QH[WVWHSV FDQRFFXUZKHWKHUWKDWEHDQLQGLYLGXDOFRQVHQWLQJWRRUUHIXVLQJFKHPLFDOWHVWLQJ >@ +HUHWKHUHLVQRGLVSXWHWKDWWKHGHSXW\UHDG$OYDUDGRDQLQFRPSOHWHLPSOLHG FRQVHQWDGYLVRU\/LNHLQO’ConnorWKHGHSXW\LQWKLVFDVHIDLOHGWRLQIRUP$OYDUDGR WKDWUHIXVDOWRWDNHDFKHPLFDOWHVWLVDFULPHSXQLVKDEOHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJ XQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH7KHRQO\GLIIHUHQFHLVWKDW$OYDUDGRUHIXVHGWRWDNHWKHWHVW ZKHUH2¶&RQQRUFRQVHQWHGSee O’Connor1'1:G 9DQGH:DOOH&-FRQFXUULQJVSHFLDOO\  ³,XQGHUVWDQGWKDWKDGWKHSHUVRQUHIXVHG WRWDNHWKHWHVWDQGEHHQFRQYLFWHGDQGSXQLVKHGLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVGULYLQJXQGHU WKHLQIOXHQFHWKHSHUVRQFRXOGYHU\ZHOOKDYHEHHQGLVDGYDQWDJHGE\WKHDGYLVRU\LQ WKLVLQVWDQFH´ :KLOHWKHO’ConnorGHFLVLRQZDVEDVHGSULPDULO\XSRQWKHH[FOXVLRQ UHPHG\LQ1'&&   E WKHODFNRIDQHTXLYDOHQWVWDWXWHDGGUHVVLQJ UHIXVDOGRHVQRWSUHFOXGHUHOLHI,QVWHDGUHOLHILVJUDQWHGQRWE\H[FOXGLQJWHVWUHVXOWV  EXWIURPUHFRJQL]LQJWKDWIRUDUHIXVDORIDFKHPLFDOWHVWWREHYDOLGLWPXVWEH SUHFHGHGE\DYDOLGUHTXHVWSee Gardner1'1:G >@ 7KH'HSDUWPHQWFRQWHQGVWKDW$OYDUDGRRQO\QHHGHGWREHLQIRUPHGRIWKH FRQVHTXHQFHVRIWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHSURFHHGLQJLQRUGHUIRUKLVUHIXVDOWREHYDOLGDQG WKDW WKH OHJLVODWXUH VSHFLILFDOO\ GLG QRW SURYLGH D UHPHG\ IRU DQ LQGLYLGXDO ZKR UHIXVHV7KLVDVVHUWLRQFRQWUDGLFWVWKHSODLQPHDQLQJRI1'&&   D  )XUWKHUPRUHRQHRIWKHSXUSRVHVRIWKHLPSOLHGFRQVHQWDGYLVRU\LVWRHQFRXUDJH LQGLYLGXDOV WR WDNH WKH FKHPLFDO WHVWV DQG EHLQJ LQIRUPHG RI SRWHQWLDO FULPLQDO VDQFWLRQVPD\SHUVXDGHVRPHLQGLYLGXDOVWKDWZRXOGRWKHUZLVHUHIXVHWHVWLQJ2QO\ SURYLGLQJWKHSDUWRIWKHDGYLVRU\UHODWHGWRDGPLQLVWUDWLYHSHQDOWLHVLJQRUHVWKH OHJLVODWXUH¶VLQWHQWWRHQFRXUDJHWHVWLQJ7KHOHJLVODWXUHFUHDWHGVSHFLILFZDUQLQJVWKDW PXVW EH UHDG LQ RUGHU IRU WKH LPSOLHG FRQVHQW DGYLVRU\ WR EH YDOLG 1HLWKHU WKH 'HSDUWPHQWQRUODZHQIRUFHPHQWKDYHWKHDXWKRULW\WRGHFLGHZKDWW\SHRISHQDOWLHV ZKHWKHUFULPLQDORUDGPLQLVWUDWLYHDQLQGLYLGXDOPD\UHFHLYHEDVHGRQZKDWSDUWRI WKHDGYLVRU\DQRIILFHUFKRRVHVWRUHDG >@ *HUDOG:9DQGH:DOOH&- 