Court Opinion

ID: 9756495
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 21:30:48.125925+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:23.702163
License: Public Domain

FRIEDMAN, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. Unlike the majority, I do not believe that the record in this case contains substantial evidence to support the finding of the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County (trial court) that the New Jersey DUI convictions of Jarrett Carl Scott (Scott) and Mathew S. Liero (Liero) were for conduct substantially similar to that proscribed in Pennsylvania’s DUI law.
The only evidence of the New Jersey DUI convictions in this case is a printout of various computer records that were transmitted electronically from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.1 (Trial court op. at 1; R.R. at 11a.) The printout is entitled “State of New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles Out of State Driver Violations Report.” Each page of the report contains four computer records. Each computer record contains various fields of data. The two data fields that have relevance here are those with the headings “New Jersey Statute” and “Description.” The “Description” field is limited to thirty-six characters. (See R.R. at 3a.)
The majority states that: ‘Were [the ‘New Jersey Statute’ field] the only information identifying the offense on the form,[2] we would agree with appellants that it is insufficient to support [the trial court’s] finding that their convictions are *544for conduct substantially similar to that proscribed in the Pennsylvania DUI law.” (Majority op. at 542.) The majority then states, based on a footnote in the trial court’s opinion, that the “Description” field “articulates the offense more specifically.” (Majority op. at 542.) However, there is not substantial evidence in the record to support such a finding. Indeed, there is nothing before this court, neither documents nor testimony, indicating that the “Description” field provides any more information about the New Jersey DUI convictions than the “New Jersey Statute” field does.3
Because the record lacks substantial evidence to support a finding that the “Description” data field in the New Jersey report articulates the offense more specifically, which is the basis for the majority’s holding, the record also lacks sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s finding that the New Jersey DUI convictions here were for conduct substantially similar to that proscribed by Pennsylvania DUI law.
Accordingly, I would reverse.4
Judge FLAHERTY joins in this dissenting opinion.

. There is absolutely no testimony regarding the data that appears on the computer printout. In fact, this case was submitted on briefs to the trial court.

. The report is not a form.

. It is apparent to me from an examination of all the computer records before us that the "Description” data field simply contains the description that is stored in the computer's "statute file” for the statutory provision appearing in the "New Jersey Statute” data field. Thus, every time a licensee violates any of the provisions of N J. Stat. 39:4-50(a), New Jersey’s report will describe the violation as "operate under influence liq/drugs.”

. I also disagree with the majority’s reliance in this case on the proposition that a party’s failure to testify can give rise to an inference of fact that the party’s testimony would have been adverse or unfavorable to him. (Majority's op. at 543.) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has stated: "[W]e have never suggested that a party could satisfy its burden of proof in a civil cause solely through reliance on the defendant’s failure to testify.” Harmon v. Mifflin County School District, 552 Pa. 92, 99, 713 A.2d 620, 624 (1998). There must be independent evidence presented to support the desired finding. Id.
Here, the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing (Department) presented no independent evidence to support a finding that the "Description” data field articulates the offense more specifically. Thus, in affirming the Department’s suspension of operating privileges, the majority is relying solely on the licensees' failure to testify.