Opinion ID: 1584424
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: acquittal as newly discovered evidence

Text: While case No. S-05-638 was pending in this court, Betterman was acquitted of the criminal refusal charge lodged against him. Betterman then filed a motion with the DMV in which he asked the director to vacate the order that had administratively revoked his driver's license. He claimed another hearing was required because of newly discovered evidence, including evidence that he had been acquitted of the criminal refusal charge. The director denied Betterman's request because no statutory provision permitted her to vacate such revocation if a motorist was acquitted of criminal charges arising from the same incident. Betterman appealed to the district court, and the court refused to reverse the director's ruling. Generally, in civil appeals, after an appeal to an appellate court has been perfected, a lower court is without jurisdiction to hear a case involving the same matter between the same parties. Ventura v. State, 246 Neb. 116, 517 N.W.2d 368 (1994). However, in Ventura, we held that an administrative agency may rule on a motion for new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence, if timely presented, although the cause is pending in an appellate court for review. The issue presented is whether the fact that Betterman was acquitted of the criminal refusal-to-submit charge was newly discovered evidence necessitating a new ALR hearing. Under Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-1142 (Cum.Supp.2006), a new trial may be granted if new evidence has been discovered which materially affects the substantial rights of the moving party. In order to make a sufficient showing for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence, the proof in support thereof must show that such evidence is now available which neither the litigant nor counsel could have discovered by the exercise of reasonable diligence and that the evidence is not merely cumulative, but competent, relevant, and material, and of such character as to reasonably justify a belief that its admission would bring about a different result if a new trial were granted. Woodhouse Ford v. Laflan, 268 Neb. 722, 687 N.W.2d 672 (2004). In cases of motorists who refuse to submit to chemical testing, the ALR statutory scheme does not operate to reinstate the motorist's administratively revoked driver's license if he or she is acquitted of the criminal refusal charge. See Kenley v. Neth, 271 Neb. 402, 712 N.W.2d 251 (2006). This court has consistently opined that a civil ALR proceeding is separate and distinct from a criminal prosecution for driving under the influence or refusal to submit to chemical testing arising from the same incident. See id. Accordingly, we have stated that although a motorist who refuses to submit to testing could subsequently be acquitted of the corresponding criminal charge, this fact is irrelevant to the ALR process. Id. at 410, 712 N.W.2d at 260. In the present case, even if evidence of Betterman's acquittal in the criminal case were to be admitted in a new ALR hearing, its admission would not affect the outcome. Therefore, the district court did not err in refusing to reverse the director's order.