Opinion ID: 2225471
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether the breath-test machine used to test Mullins was properly certified.

Text: Mullins next claims that the breath-test machine used to test him had not been certified by the Director of Toxicology within the 180 days before he was tested. The State offered into evidence a certificate signed by the Director of Toxicology certifying the approval of the machine used to test Mullins. As Mullins points out, the State's exhibit listed eleven breath-test machines that the Director was certifying by his signature on the document. Next to each machine's serial number was the date on which that machine had been inspected. The certificate itself was not dated, and the date on which the last machine listed was inspected was January 27th, 1992. Mullins was tested on January 21st. It is therefore obvious that the Director's certification of the machine used to test Mullins came only after Mullins had been tested. Mullins claims this made the breath-test results in his case inadmissible under § 9-30-6-5(d)(4), which requires that test equipment have been approved in accordance with rules adopted by the Director of Toxicology under § 9-30-6-5(a). Under § 9-30-6-5(c), a certified copy of a certificate from the Director constitutes prima facie evidence that the equipment ... was inspected and approved by the department of toxicology on the date specified on the certificate copy... . (Emphasis added). It is clear that what § 9-30-6-5(d) requires is that the test machine have been approved by the department. It is clear from § 9-30-6-5(c) that the act of certification is distinct from the act of approval and that approval occurs when a machine passes an inspection while certification comes only later. The machine used to test Mullins was approved on January 18th. The certificate offered by the State was prima facie evidence that the machine used to test Mullins had been approved by the department of toxicology, and that is all § 9-30-6-5(d) requires. There was no error on this basis in admitting the breath-test results.