Opinion ID: 884140
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Expungement of Sidmore's 1988 Idaho DUI conviction

Text: In 1988, Sidmore received a DUI conviction from the Magistrate Division of the First Judicial District Court, Bonner County, Idaho. We agree with Sidmore that despite receiving his 1988 DUI conviction in Idaho, this conviction should have been expunged as a matter of law in 1993 from his Montana driving record pursuant to § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987). In making this conclusion, we note that both Montana and Idaho have enacted the Driver License Compact. See §§ 61-5-401 et seq., MCA. See also Idaho Code § 49-2001. The Driver License Compact provides in pertinent part: Article III. Reports of Conviction The licensing authority of a party state shall report each conviction of a person from another party state occurring within its jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the home state of the licensee. Such report shall clearly identify the person convicted; describe the violation specifying the section of the statute, code, or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was taken; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered or the conviction was a result of the forfeiture of bail, bond, or other security; and include any special findings made in connection therewith. Article IV. Effect of Conviction (1) The licensing authority in the home state, for the purposes of suspension, revocation, or limitation of the license to operate a motor vehicle, shall give the same effect to the conduct reported, pursuant to Article III of this compact, as it would if such conduct had occurred in the home state, in the case of convictions for: (a) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle; (b) driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle; (c) any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used; (d) failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another. (2) As to other convictions, reported pursuant to Article III, the licensing authority in the home state shall give such effect to the conduct as is provided by the laws of the home state. Section 61-5-401, MCA (emphasis added) (pursuant to § 61-5-401, Art. II, (2), MCA, home state is defined as the state which has issued and has the power to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to operate a motor vehicle [i.e., in this instance, Montana is the home state]). Additionally, § 61-5-107, MCA (1987), sets forth the driver's license application process and provides in pertinent part: (3) Whenever application is received from an applicant previously licensed by any other jurisdiction, the department shall request a copy of such applicant's driving record from such previous licensing jurisdiction. When received, such driving records shall become a part of the driver's record in this state with the same force and effect as though entered on the driver's record in this state in the original instance. [Emphasis added.] In this case, it is unclear from the record whether Sidmore was licensed to drive in Idaho or Montana at the time of his 1988 Idaho DUI conviction. However, as indicated by the emphasized language in the preceding statutes, regardless of the manner in which the State of Montana received information concerning Sidmore's Idaho conviction, this conviction is to be given the same effect as if entered in Montana. Therefore, because Sidmore received his Idaho DUI conviction in 1988, we apply the statutory language of §§ 61-8-401 and -714, MCA (1987), to determine not whether his 1988 Idaho DUI conviction should have been expunged from his Idaho record, but whether his 1988 Idaho DUI conviction should have been expunged from his Montana record. Section 61-8-401, MCA (1987), provided in pertinent part: (1) It is unlawful and punishable as provided in 61-8-714 and 61-8-723 for any person who is under the influence of: (a) alcohol to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle upon the ways of this state open to the public; (b) a narcotic drug to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state; (c) any other drug to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state; or (d) alcohol and any drug to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state. Additionally, § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), provided: For the purpose of determining the number of convictions under this section, conviction means a final conviction, as defined in 45-2-101, in this state or a similar statute in another state or a forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure the defendant's appearance in court in this state or another state, which forfeiture has not been vacated. An offender is considered to have been previously convicted for the purposes of this section if less than 5 years have elapsed between the commission of the present offense and a previous conviction. If there has been no additional conviction for an offense under this section for a period of 5 years after a prior conviction hereunder, then such prior offense shall be expunged from the defendant's record. [Emphasis added.] As is seen from the language of § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), which provided that [f]or the purpose of determining the number of convictions under this section, `conviction' means a final conviction, as defined in 45-2-101, in this state or a similar statute in another state ..., this statutory expungement provision applies to Sidmore's 1988 Idaho DUI conviction. Furthermore, the language of the DUI expungement provision of § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), is identical to the language of the BAC expungement provision of § 61-8-722(6), MCA (1989). Therefore, we conclude that Sidmore's 1988 Idaho DUI conviction should have been expunged from his Montana record in 1993 pursuant to § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), just as his 1990 BAC conviction should have been expunged from his record in 1995 pursuant to § 61-8-722(6), MCA (1989). That is, the expungement provision of § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), provided that if Sidmore did not receive an additional DUI conviction within the five-year period following his 1988 DUI conviction, he was entitled to have his 1988 DUI conviction expunged from his record. Nothing in § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), provided that both BAC and DUI convictions received within the five-year period following Sidmore's 1988 DUI conviction could be counted to determine whether Sidmore was entitled to have his prior DUI conviction expunged from his record. Consequently, whether Sidmore received a subsequent BAC conviction within the five-year period following his 1988 DUI conviction would not affect his 1988 DUI conviction's eligibility for expungement under § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), providing he did not receive another DUI conviction within five years of the 1988 DUI conviction. As Sidmore's driving record indicates, while he received a subsequent BAC conviction in 1990, he did not receive another DUI conviction during the five-year period following his 1988 Idaho DUI conviction. Consequently, based on the plain language of § 61-8-714(5), MCA (1987), Sidmore's 1988 Idaho DUI conviction should have been automatically expunged from his Montana record in 1993, as a matter of law. See Bowles, 947 P.2d 52. That is, all traces of information relating to his 1988 Idaho DUI conviction contained in his Montana record should have been destroyed in 1993. See Brander, 930 P.2d at 36 (citations omitted). Therefore, because Sidmore's 1988 Idaho DUI conviction no longer exists on his Montana record, it cannot be counted to support the present charge of felony DUI, fourth offense, pursuant to § 61-8-714, MCA (1995). Consequently, on this basis, we hold that the District Court erred by denying Sidmore's motion to dismiss Count I of the Information for lack of original jurisdiction.