Court Opinion

ID: 9740768
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:41:29.517847+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:20.187646
License: Public Domain

SULLIVAN, Judge,
concurring.
I fully concur as to Part IL.
With regard to Part I, I agree that the proceeding for civil forfeiture of the $1300 found on Willis's person at the time of his arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated does not bar the prosecution for the driving while intoxicated conviction being appealed. I note that although jeopardy had attached in the forfeiture proceeding, there was no judgment entered. Thus, there was no determination by the court in the forfeiture proceeding that was akin either to "acquittal" or "conviction." Therefore, the question before this court and as treated by the majority opinion, is whether the forfeiture statute denominated as a "civil" forfeiture, is in actuality a punishment.
If Willis were being prosecuted criminally for selling controlled substances as alleged by the State in the forfeiture proceeding, I might well conclude that forfeiture of the money obtained through the sale or sales was clearly punishment for the sale or sales themselves. In such instance I might therefore conclude that a prosecution for selling controlled substances which resulted in the $1300 would be barred.
However, the offense for which Willis was here convicted was for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. There was no nexus between this offense and the possession of the money. I do not therefore find any permissible inference that the forfeiture was punishment for operating the vehicle while intoxicated.
For this reason I concur as to Part I.