Court Opinion

ID: 9693794
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 17:00:23.474714+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:50.407787
License: Public Domain

GOLDBERG, Justice,
dissenting.
Although the majority’s position is laudatory, I must respectfully dissent because I am of the opinion that this case simply does not present a justiciable issue for this Court to review.
Basic precepts of American jurisprudence provide that no- person shall “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” U.S. Const. Amend. V. See also R.I. Const. art. 1, sec. 7. Since the respondent John D. Anthony (Anthony) has been found not guilty of the charged offense, namely, driving under the influence of alcohol, the majority correctly notes that the state is prohibited from retrying him. See State v. Grabowski 644 A.2d 1282, 1284 (R.I. 1994). See also Seibert v. Clark, 619 A.2d 1108, 1110 (R.I.1993) (“[a] ease is moot if it raised a justiciable controversy at the time the complaint was filed, but events occurring after the filing have deprived the litigant of an ongoing stake in the controversy”). Nevertheless, the majority reaches the merits of this case and essentially issues an advisory opinion by declaring “that the issue presented'by this case is capable of repetition, but may evade review.” I respectfully disagree.
In this case the trial judge concluded that since Anthony was not informed that an out-of-state conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol could be used to enhance his Rhode Island sentence, Anthony did not validly consent to the breathalyzer tests and that, therefore, the state was prohibited from introducing the test results into evidence. The trial judge’s ruling led this Court to grant certiorari and declare that this issue was capable of evading review. However, during oral arguments it was learned thát in subsequent cases concerning this very same issue the same trial judge reconsidered his prior ruling and has now decided to admit a driver’s breathalyzer test results into evidence despite the fact that the driver has not been informed that a previous out-of-state conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol may be used to enhance punishment. Since these test results are now being admitted -into evidence without prior admonishment, this issue would have inevitably been brought to this Court’s attention through its proper course and in its proper time. In those circumstances, unlike the circumstances presented by this case, both parties would have had a vested interest in briefing this issue fully and the Court would have had the benefit of hearing oral arguments from two adverse parties. The Court’s decision to review a nonjusticiable issue that is not capable of evading review has had the unfortunate effect of prohibiting this issue from being thoroughly explored. Consequently I dissent.