Case Name: In the Matter of Antonio Finocchairo, Respondent, v. Joseph P. Kelly, as Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, Appellant
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1962-03-01
Citations: 11 N.Y.2d 58
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of Antonio Finocchairo, Respondent, v. Joseph P. Kelly, as Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 11
Pages: 58–62

Head Matter:
In the Matter of Antonio Finocchairo, Respondent, v. Joseph P. Kelly, as Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, Appellant.
Argued January 18,1962 ;
decided March 1, 1962.
Louis J. Lefkowitz, Attorney-General (Philip J. Fitzgerald and Paxton Blair of counsel), for appellant.
I. Substantial evidence warranted the determination that petitioner refused to submit to the chemical test to determine the alcoholic content of his blood. II. The law relating to chemical tests to determine the alcoholic content of blood of an operator charged with drunken driving is not a criminal statute. Alleged objections that might apply to a criminal matter are inapplicable to this administrative proceeding. (Matter of Anderson v. Mac-duff, 208 Misc. 271; Matter of Zdan v. Kelly, 4 A D 2d 1004; People v. Noble, 9 N Y 2d 571; People v. O’Dowd, 8 A D 2d 468; Breithaupt v. Abram, 352 U. S. 432; Reitz v. Mealey, 314 U. S. 33; Matter of Combes v. Kelly, 2 Misc 2d 491.)
William L. Maier and Gerald R. Barrett for respondent.
I. The Commissioner’s order was correctly cancelled, since petitioner-respondent did not refuse to submit to the chemical test. II. The failure to notify petitioner-respondent’s attorney is in violation of his constitutional rights to the aid of counsel. (People ex rel. Burgess v. Risley, 66 How. Prac. 67; People v. Tomaselli, 7 N Y 2d 350.) III. A request by an automobile operator who has been placed under arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated that he be given an opportunity to consult with his attorney before submitting to a blood test is a reasonable request and should be honored. (People v. Noble, 9 N Y 2d 571.) IV. Section 71-a has enough about criminal proceedings so that those rules prescribed for criminal proceedings should also be applied to section 71-a.

Opinion:
Memorandum.
The order appealed from should be reversed and the determination of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles revoking the operator's license of petitioner reinstated, without costs. So far as the revocation of petitioner's license for his conditional refusal to take a blood test is concerned, the constitutional rights of petitioner were not invaded because of the refusal of his request for counsel.