Case Name: Ralph Earl ARTH, Respondent, v. DIRECTOR OF REVENUE, State of Missouri, Appellant
Court: Supreme Court of Missouri
Jurisdiction: Missouri
Decision Date: 1987-01-13
Citations: 722 S.W.2d 606
Docket Number: No. 68164
Parties: Ralph Earl ARTH, Respondent, v. DIRECTOR OF REVENUE, State of Missouri, Appellant.
Judges: HIGGINS, C.J., and BILLINGS, BLACKMAR, DONNELLY and ROBERTSON, JJ., concur.
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 722
Pages: 606–609

Head Matter:
Ralph Earl ARTH, Respondent, v. DIRECTOR OF REVENUE, State of Missouri, Appellant.
No. 68164.
Supreme Court of Missouri, En Banc.
Jan. 13, 1987.
William L. Webster, Atty. Gen., Melodie Powell, Richard L. Weiler, Asst. Attys. Gen., Ninian S. Riley, Robert D. Aulgur, Sp. Asst. Attys. Gen., Dept, of Revenue, James A. Chenault, III, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for appellant.
Linda Murphy, Clayton, for respondent.
Judith A. Ronzio, James J. Wilson, City Counselor, St. Louis, for amicus curiae Bd. of Police Comrs.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
This case was transferred here by this Court from the Eastern District of the Court of Appeals under authority of Mo. Const, art. V, § 10. The opinion of Judge Crist is adopted here, substantially as originally written in the Court of Appeals, without quotation marks.
The director of the Department of Revenue (Department) appeals from a final order striking the Department's pleadings and ordering the director to reinstate Arth's driver license. We reverse and remand.
On April 12, 1984, a patrolman from the St. Louis County Police Department stopped Arth. Based on his observations, the patrolman charged Arth with driving while intoxicated, a violation of § 577.010, RSMo 1978. Arth submitted to a chemical test to determine his blood alcohol content. The test measured Arth's blood alcohol content at .17 of one percent by weight.
Because Arth's blood alcohol content exceeded .13 of one percent, the Department issued Arth a notice of suspension of his driver's license, pursuant to § 302.515, RSMo Cum.Supp. 1984. Arth requested a hearing to review the Department's determination, pursuant to § 302.530, RSMo Cum.Supp. 1984. The hearing officer upheld the Department's decision to suspend Arth's license. Arth appealed this decision to the Circuit Court of St. Louis County for a trial de novo, pursuant to § 302.535, RSMo Cum.Supp. 1984.
During pretrial discovery, Arth served interrogatories upon the director of the Department, seeking information regarding the background of the arresting officer, the circumstances surrounding Arth's arrest, and the functioning of the instrument used to measure the alcohol in his blood. The director objected to these interrogatories, claiming the information was not available to him. The circuit court overruled the director's objections, and ordered the director to answer the interrogatories. The director failed to answer, and the circuit court ordered the Department's pleadings stricken, and fully reinstated Arth's driving privileges.
In his sole point on appeal, the director asserts the trial court abused its discretion and exceeded its jurisdiction by ordering the Department's pleadings stricken as a sanction for failing to answer the interrogatories. The director maintains that answering the interrogatories would require research and investigation of sources beyond his available control. Rule 57.01 provides:
(a) Availability; Procedures for Use. Any party may serve upon any other party written interrogatories to be answered by the party served or, if the party served is a . governmental agency, by any officer or agent, who shall furnish such information as is available to the party. (Emphasis added.)
In the present case, Arth's interrogatories requested information which was not "available" to the director. Chapter 302, RSMo Cum.Supp. 1984 provides a specific and detailed procedure for suspension or revocation of a driver's license. This chapter creates a statutory obligation on the part of law enforcement officers to forward to the Department certain documents relevant to arrests made for alcohol-related traffic offenses. § 302.510, RSMo Cum. Supp. 1984. The Department's determination to suspend driving privileges is based solely on these reports. Collins v. Director of Revenue, 691 S.W.2d 246 (Mo. banc 1985). The Department has provided Arth with all documents available to it pertaining to Arth. The trial court exceeded its jurisdiction when it ordered the Department to provide, by interrogatory, information not available to it. State ex rel. Mid-America Pipeline Company v. Rooney, 399 S.W.2d 225, 229 (Mo.App.1965). As suggested by Judge Smith in the Court of Appeals, the Department should be required by interrogatory to provide the licensee with any information concerning the licensee or licensee's case which is in the records of the Department. If further information is desired, the licensee must look to Rules 57.03 and 58.01.
The order of the circuit court is reversed and the cause is remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
HIGGINS, C.J., and BILLINGS, BLACKMAR, DONNELLY and ROBERTSON, JJ., concur.
RENDLEN, J., dissents in separate opinion filed.
WELLIVER, J., dissents and concurs in separate dissenting opinion of RENDLEN, J.