Opinion ID: 2221418
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Margin-of-Error Issue.

Text: Cripps' issue on appeal concerning the margin of error that inheres in the machine or device that was employed in the chemical test of his breath alcohol concentration is based on Iowa Code section 321J.12(6). That statute provides in relevant part: The results of a chemical test may not be used as the basis for a revocation of a person's motor vehicle license or nonresident operating privilege if the alcohol concentration indicated by the chemical test minus the established margin of error inherent in the device or method used to conduct the chemical test does not equal an alcohol concentration of .10 or more for violations under section 321J.2. . . . Iowa Code § 321J.12(6) (1997). At the hearing before the administrative law judge, Cripps presented testimony from an expert witness concerning the margin of error for the Intoxilyzer 4011A model as a class. This testimony was based both on the literature of the manufacturer and the witness's own test results. Based on these two sources of information, the witness concluded that the margin of error for the Intoxilyzer 4011A was .01. IDOT sought to counter Cripps' evidence by producing the certified test results issued by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory as to the accuracy of the particular Intoxilyzer 4011A used by the Webster City Police Department to analyze Cripps' breath sample. This evidence was offered pursuant to Iowa Code section 691.2, which provides in part: Any report, or copy of a report, or the findings of the criminalistics laboratory shall be received in evidence, if determined to be relevant, in any court, preliminary hearing, grand jury proceeding, civil proceeding, administrative hearing, and forfeiture proceeding in the same manner and with the same force and effect as if the employee or technician of the criminalistics laboratory who accomplished the requested analysis, comparison, or identification had testified in person. A party or the party's attorney may request that an employee or technician testify in person at a criminal trial, administrative hearing, or forfeiture proceeding on behalf of the state or the adverse agency of the state, by notifying the proper county attorney, or in the case of an administrative proceeding the adverse agency, at least ten days before the date of the criminal trial, administrative hearing, or forfeiture proceeding. Cripps did not request that the person who tested the accuracy of the Intoxilyzer 4011A used by the Webster City Police Department appear in person and give testimony at the hearing. In evaluating the evidence presented at the administrative hearing, the ALJ concluded: It is the opinion of the administrative law judge that the statute refers to the margin of error for the entire class of testing devices and not to the margin of error for a specific testing device. He further concluded: The administrative law judge views the margin of error of a breath testing device to be the range within which all results would fall if the same breath specimen were tested many times. Applying these conclusions to the testimony of Cripps' expert witness concerning the range of error for the Intoxilyzer 4011A as a class, the ALJ determined the applicable margin of error to be .01. That margin of error if subtracted from Cripps' test result of .106 produces a concentration less than .10. Based on that calculation, the ALJ determined that Cripps' license could not be revoked under section 321J.12(6). On review of the ALJ's decision, the agency concluded that the margin of error to be applied under section 321J.12(6) is that which has been certified by the criminalistics laboratory for the particular device used in the chemical-testing process. In Cripps' case, the margin of error that had been certified by the criminalistics laboratory for the device at the Webster City Police Department was .004 (either way on the reading) or five percent (of the reading), whichever is greater. Adjusting Cripps' .106 test result based on that margin of error does not produce a concentration below .10. Based on these conclusions, the agency reversed the decision of the ALJ and upheld the revocation of Cripps' license. In challenging the final agency decision, Cripps makes three arguments concerning the margin of error: (1) that it should be based on the range of error detected among this model of testing device as a generic class, (2) that it must be derived from testing the same breath specimen many times, and (3) that in the present case there was an internal contradiction in the certification of the criminalistics laboratory that distorted its determination of the margin of error for this particular Intoxilyzer 4011A. We consider each of these claims. A. May the margin of error be computed with respect to each particular device used in a chemical testing? It appears from the record that each Intoxilyzer 4011A device used in this state is certified annually. This is required by Iowa Administrative Code rule 6617.2(1). As part of the certification process, the machine is examined to determine that it is functioning properly at a particular calibration, and a margin of error is established for that particular testing device when used at that calibration. The record in the present case is silent as to the method that was employed by the criminalistics laboratory to establish the margin of error for this particular Intoxilyzer 4011A. Cripps urges that the term margin of error inherent in the device or method used, as contained in section 321J.12(6), has reference to the range of error discovered among a category of testing devices as a class. We do not view this language as commanding that interpretation. In interpreting statutes, courts must seek a reasonable interpretation that will best effectuate the purpose of the legislation. State v. Sullins, 509 N.W.2d 483, 485 (Iowa 1993); Harden v. State, 434 N.W.2d 881, 884 (Iowa 1989). In the administration of this statute, what is sought to be obtained is a margin of error that would be inherent in the testing of the particular subject's breath. There appears to be no logical basis for assuming that a margin of error obtained by charting the deviation from a known sample among various Intoxilyzer 4011A devices would be more useful for this purpose than establishing the deviation with respect to the particular device with which a subject is tested. We conclude that IDOT's reliance on the latter method of establishing the margin of error is not inconsistent with the purpose of the statute. B. Whether the margin of error must be obtained by testing the same sample of breath many times. Cripps urges that the ALJ's conclusion that the margin of error is the divergence of results obtained from the testing of the same sample of breath several times was the standard that should have been applied in the present case. He urges that the agency departed from that standard in basing his revocation on the criminalistics laboratory's certification. The method to be employed in establishing the margin of error is not specified in either the statute or the applicable administrative regulations. There is no evidence in the record with respect to the method that the criminalistics laboratory employed in fixing the margin of error for the Intoxilyzer 4011A used in the present case. We are convinced that Cripps may not establish that an improper method of testing was employed when he has presented no evidence of what that method was. C. Was there an inherent contradiction in the criminalistics laboratory certification? Finally, we consider Cripps' claim that there is an inherent contradiction in the criminalistics laboratory certification of the margin of error for the Intoxilyzer 4011A used by the Webster City Police Department. He urges that this contradiction inheres in the portion of the certification, which states: The calibration filter Q-102232 will read 0.214± 0.010 when used with Intoxilyzer 4011A, serial number XX-XXXXXX. Cripps urges that the margin of error for the testing accuracy of the machine must be at least as great as the range of calibration. There is nothing in the record from which we can verify that assertion. All that appears in this regard is that this particular Intoxilyzer 4011A device was to be used with a calibration filter programmed to read 0.214 plus or minus 0.01. The certification of the criminalistics laboratory attests that, if that calibration reads out on the machine, the Intoxilyzer 4011A will test accurately within a .004 or five percent margin of error. We perceive no facial inconsistency in that assertion. In the present case, the officer administering the chemical test testified that the calibration reading was within the range specified in the criminalistics laboratory's certification of accuracy. We have considered all issues presented and conclude that the final agency decision was supported by substantial evidence. The judgment of the district court is affirmed. AFFIRMED. All justices concur except CADY, J., who takes no part.