Opinion ID: 2967454
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Applies Only to Criminal Conduct

Text: This portion of the Hudson test clearly favors Brewer, as the thirtyday ALR provision only applies when a driver commits a criminal act of driving while impaired. Alone, however, this factor is insufficient to establish that the thirty-day ALR provision is a criminal penalty. See Hudson, 522 U.S. at 105 (stating that the fact that conduct which is subject to a civil sanction is also criminal is not sufficient by itself to render the sanctions criminal); Imngren, 98 F.3d at 816 (stating that [i]t is well settled that Congress may impose both a criminal and a civil sanction in respect to the same act or omission (internal quota12 BREWER v. KIMEL tion marks omitted)). The State does not dispute that this factor favors Brewer, but merely argues, correctly, that it is not sufficient by itself to render a sanction criminal. 6. Alternative, Non-punitive Purpose and Excessiveness in Relation to Non-punitive Purpose Because Brewer treats these last two Hudson factors as so closely related as to warrant treatment together in his brief, we will similarly examine them in tandem. Brewer argues that there is no evidence that a thirty-day ALR period serves any legitimate remedial goal more effectively than a ten-day period, and thus, the only possible explanation for the decision of the Legislature to lengthen the period from ten to thirty days is a desire to impermissibly exact multiple criminal punishments. Brief of Appellant at 23-24. The State notes that in Imngren, we stated that [t]he suspension of driving privileges is not primarily an act of punishment; rather, suspension promotes public safety by removing from the highways motorists who have shown a tendency to drive under the influence of alcohol. Imngren, 98 F.3d at 816. The State thus argues that its alternative, remedial purpose is simply to remove unsafe drivers from the highways, and a thirty-day ALR period serves this goal more effectively than a ten-day period. The State further argues that N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-16.5(p)’s provision for the restoration of limited driving privileges after ten days provided that certain conditions — such as a substance abuse evaluation — are met, renders the thirty-day ALR period remedial because the longer period causes drivers to apply for limited driving privileges, which in turn brings them into contact with substance abuse professionals who can help to remediate their tendency to drive under the influence. In terms of whether the thirty-day sanction is excessive in relation to its remedial goal, the district court found that the provision for the restoration of limited driving privileges after ten days negates any claim that the § 20-16.5 is excessive in relation to its nonpunitive goals. We find this reasoning persuasive. Requiring persons charged with DWI to undergo a substance abuse assessment and attend a court hearing prior to restoration of limited driving privileges would seem to be a valid remedial goal; the longer ALR period functions as an incentive to cause persons charged with DWI to address their possible substance abuse problems, and their contact with treatment professionals and court personnel could rationally be viewed as a non-deterrent BREWER v. KIMEL 13 means of reducing the likelihood of recidivism. We thus conclude that the thirty-day ALR provision rationally serves legitimate remedial goals and is not excessive in relation to these goals.