Opinion ID: 1584424
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: absence of officer kiley from alr hearing

Text: Schmaderer, Kiley, and Kyler signed the sworn report in the area labeled Signatures of Arresting Officer(s). Schmaderer and Kyler appeared at the ALR hearing, but Kiley was unable to attend. Betterman's motion to dismiss based on Kiley's absence was overruled. The DMV asked for a continuance so Kiley could attend, and Betterman had no response. On review, the district court found that Schmaderer was best able to provide the hearing officer with information relating to the factors underlying the revocation and that, therefore, Kiley's appearance was not required to satisfy the agency's own regulation (247 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 1, § 017.02 (2001)) or to satisfy Betterman's right to due process. The meaning and interpretation of statutes and regulations are questions of law for which an appellate court has an obligation to reach an independent conclusion irrespective of the decision made by the court below. Nebraska Liq. Distrib. v. Nebraska Liq. Cont. Comm., 272 Neb. 390, 722 N.W.2d 10 (2006). Betterman asserts that his constitutional rights to due process were violated by Kiley's absence. Betterman cites several cases from other jurisdictions to support this claim. However, the cases cited in Betterman's brief are inapposite, because none of them answer the questions involved in this appeal. In those cases, the motorists had no opportunity to cross-examine any arresting officer; whereas, Betterman was able to cross-examine two of the three persons who signed the sworn report. Before a state may deprive a motorist of his or her driver's license, that state must provide a forum for the determination of the question and a meaningful hearing appropriate to the nature of the case. Kenley v. Neth, 271 Neb. 402, 712 N.W.2d 251 (2006). In proceedings before an administrative agency or tribunal, procedural due process requires notice, identification of the accuser, factual basis for the accusation, reasonable time and opportunity to present evidence concerning the accusation, and a hearing before an impartial board. Id. The DMV's regulations provide that the failure of the arresting officer to appear [at the ALR hearing] or be otherwise available for cross-examination shall be cause for dismissal of the administrative license revocation by the Department of Motor Vehicles except when the motorist does not appear or make any showing. See § 017.02. The question presented is, When there are multiple arresting officers, how many of them must appear at the hearing? In Arndt v. Department of Motor Vehicles, 270 Neb. 172, 699 N.W.2d 39 (2005), a motorist argued that the sworn report was not completed by the arresting officer, as required by § 60-498.01. This court determined that an arresting officer is an officer who is present at the scene of the arrest for purposes of assisting in it. In this case, both Schmaderer and Kiley assisted in arresting Betterman. For purposes of § 60-498.01, then, both officers were arresting officers. When defining the term arresting officer in Arndt, this court approved the definition set forth by the Nebraska Court of Appeals in Connelly v. Department of Motor Vehicles, 9 Neb.App. 708, 618 N.W.2d 715 (2000). In that case, two officers arrested a motorist who failed a chemical test, but only one of the officers prepared the ALR documents and appeared at the hearing. In considering the meaning of the term arresting officer for purposes of § 017.02, the Court of Appeals first determined that because the term could reasonably be subjected to more than one interpretation, it was subject to judicial determination. The court stated that an arresting officer was an officer who was present at the scene of the arrest for purposes of assisting in it. The Court of Appeals then addressed whether the due process requirements of § 017.02 could be satisfied by the presence of only one officer at the ALR hearing. It held that the presence of one of two arresting officers at an ALR hearing satisfied the due process requirements of § 017.02 if the officer who was present questioned and tested the motorist and was best able to provide the hearing officer with information relating to the factors underlying the revocation. We conclude that the due process requirements of § 017.02 are satisfied in a refusal-to-submit ALR proceeding by the presence of an arresting officer who questioned the motorist, who observed the motorist refuse to submit to a chemical test, and who can provide the hearing officer with information relating to the factors underlying the revocation. In an ALR hearing, the factors underlying a revocation for refusal to submit are: (A) Did the peace officer have probable cause to believe the person was operating or in the actual physical control of a motor vehicle in violation of section 60-6,196 or a city or village ordinance enacted in conformance with such section[?]; and (B) Did the person refuse to submit to or fail to complete a chemical test after being requested to do so by the peace officer[?] § 60-498.01(6)(c)(i). In the present case, Schmaderer observed Betterman's erratic driving and conducted the traffic stop. He observed that Betterman exhibited bloodshot and watery eyes; that he talked with slurred speech; that he acted confused when trying to find his driver's license, automobile registration, and proof of insurance; and that he smelled of alcohol. Schmaderer questioned Betterman and attempted to conduct field sobriety tests, which Betterman refused to perform. With assistance from Kiley, Schmaderer arrested Betterman. Although Kiley transported Betterman to the police station, Schmaderer observed Betterman refusing to submit to the breath test at the police station. Thus, Schmaderer meets the above-given description of the arresting officer required to attend the ALR hearing, and he was available for cross-examination at the ALR hearing. The district court did not err in finding that the evidence before the hearing officer established that Kiley's appearance at the ALR hearing was not mandatory because Schmaderer could provide the hearing officer with information relating to the factors underlying the revocation. Betterman's claim that his due process rights were violated by Kiley's absence is without merit.