State, City of Mankato v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34 (Minn. Ct. App. 1986). · Go Syfert
State, City of Mankato v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34 (Minn. Ct. App. 1986). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
36 citation events (10 in the last 25 years) across 10 distinct courts.
Treatment trajectory · 1986 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1986 2006 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 12 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Valentine v. State (2×)
Alaska Ct. App. · 2007 · confidence medium
Fuenning, 680 P.2d at 128 ("[Wle recognize no right to ingest a substantial amount of alcohol and then drive."); Boharnon, 497 S.E.2d at 557 (rejecting the claim that there is a constitutional right to drink and drive so long as the motorist is not impaired); Fargo v. Stensland, 492 N.W.2d 591, 593 (N.D.1992) (same); State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.Ct.App.1986) (holding that driving while under the influence is not constitutionally protected conduct); see also Hernandez v. Dep't of Motor Vehicles, 30 Cal.3d 70 , 177 Cal.Rptr. 566 , 634 P.2d 917, 919 (1981) ([Plast authorities[,] whi…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) State Ex Rel. Appleby v. Recht (2×)
W. Va. · 2002 · confidence medium
(Particularly so, when he has been drinking alcoholic beverages.)”); State v. Demerritt, 149 Me. 380, 383 , 103 A.2d 106, 108 (1953) ("There is no inherent or constitutional right to drive a dangerous automobile on the highway....”); State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.Ct.App.1986) ("Appellant cites no authority for the proposition that driving under the influence is constitutionally protected conduct.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bohannon v. State (2×)
Ga. · 1998 · confidence medium
Wash. 1997); State v. Chirpich, 392 NW2d 34, 37 (Minn. App. 1986); State v. Rose, 323 SE2d 339, 342-343 (N.C. 1984); State v. Howren, 323 SE2d 335, 338 (N.C. 1984); City of Fargo v. Stensland, 492 NW2d 591, 594-595 (N.D. 1992).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) State v. Crediford
Wash. · 1996 · confidence medium
See State v. Martin, 174 Ariz. 118 , 847 P.2d 619, 623 (Ct.App.1992) (noting that the Legislature concluded that a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .10 or greater within two hours after driving poses a danger to the public) (relying upon Cacavas v. Bowen, 168 Ariz. 114 , 811 P.2d 366, 368 (Ct.App.1991)); Smith v. Charnes, 728 P.2d 1287 (Colo.1986); City of Mankato v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn. App.1986) (upholding Minnesota's "two-hour rule" as a valid exercise of the legislative authority to define the elements of a crime), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1015 , 107 S.Ct. 1891 , 95…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) State v. Crediford
Wash. · 1996 · confidence medium
See State v. Martin, 174 Ariz. 118 , 847 P.2d 619, 623 (Ct. App. 1992) (noting that the Legislature concluded that a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .10 or greater within two hours after driving poses a danger to the public) (relying upon Cacavas v. Bowen, 168 Ariz. 114 , 811 P.2d 366, 368 (Ct. App. 1991)); Smith v. Charnes, 728 P.2d 1287 (Colo. 1986); City of Mankato v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn. App. 1986) (upholding Minnesota’s "two-hour rule” as a valid exercise of the legislative authority to define the elements of a crime), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1015 (1987); Sta…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Commonwealth v. Brehm (2×)
Pa. Super. Ct. · 1995 · confidence medium
City of Fargo v. Stensland, 492 N.W.2d 591, 593 (N.D.1992); State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.Ct.
cited Cited as authority (rule) City of Fargo v. Stensland
N.D. · 1992 · confidence medium
Ct. In and For Cty. of Maricopia, 139 Ariz. 590 , 680 P.2d 121, 128 (1983); State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.App.1986) cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1015 , 107 S.Ct. 1891 , 95 L.Ed.2d 498 (1987).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Cacavas v. Bowen (2×) also: Cited "see"
Ariz. Ct. App. · 1991 · confidence medium
In rejecting a constitutional challenge to a Minnesota statute similar to A.R.S. § 28-692(A)(2), the Minnesota Court of Appeals held in State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.App. 1986), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1015 , 107 S.Ct 1891 , 95 L.Ed.2d 498 (1987), that “[t]he legislature has the authority to define the elements of the crime of driving while intoxicated.” The court noted that it was not its duty to question whether the provision making it a crime to have a blood alcohol level of .10 percent or greater within two hours of operating or controlling a motor vehicle was necessary.
cited Cited "see" State v. Birk
Minn. Ct. App. · 2004 · signal: see · confidence high
See State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.App.1986), review denied (Minn. Oct. 17, 1986).
discussed Cited "see" State v. Baker
Del. · 1998 · signal: see · confidence high
See State v. Chirpich, Minn. Ct.App., 392 N.W.2d 34 , 37 *1147 (1986), cert. denied, 481 U.S. 1015 , 107 S.Ct. 1891 , 95 L.Ed.2d 498 (1987) (holding Minnesota DUI statute requiring that test be within two hours of driving was not unconstitutionally overbroad because “driving while under the influence is not constitutionally protected conduct”); Sereika v. State, Nev.Supr., 114 Nev. 175 , 955 P.2d 175, 180 (1998) (holding that Nevada’s DUI statute requiring the test be obtained within two hours was not constitutionally overbroad in rising BAC cases because the state has a legitimate inter…
cited Cited "see" State v. Olmscheid
Minn. Ct. App. · 1992 · signal: see · confidence high
See State, City of Mankato v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34, 37 (Minn.App.1986), pet. for rev. denied (Minn. Oct. 17, 1986), cert. denied 481 U.S. 1015 , 107 S.Ct. 1891 , 95 L.Ed.2d 498 (1987).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Birchfield v. N. Dakota. William Robert Bernard
SCOTUS · 2016 · signal: see also · confidence low
The Minnesota Court of Appeals has explained that nearly all breath tests "involve a time lag of 45 minutes to two hours." State v. Larson, 429 N.W.2d 674 , 676 (Minn.App.1988); see also State v. Chirpich, 392 N.W.2d 34 , 37 (Minn.App.1986).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
STATE of Minnesota, CITY OF MANKATO, Respondent,
v.
Richard Anthony CHIRPICH, Appellant
C7-85-2248.
Court of Appeals of Minnesota.
Aug 12, 1986.
392 N.W.2d 34
Hubert H. Humphrey, III, Atty. Gen., St. Paul, Michael J. McCauley, Mankato City Atty., and Patricia Fair, Asst. City Atty., Mankato, for respondent., Kevin O’Connor Green, Green Law Offices, P.A., Mankato, for appellant.
Heard.
Cited by 23 opinions  |  Published

OPINION

RANDALL, Judge.

Appellant Richard Chirpich was charged with a gross misdemeanor under Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 3(a) (1984). To simplify the issue of enhancement, both counsel agreed to try the case to the jury on misdemeanor DWI pursuant to an agreement that conviction would automatically become a gross misdemeanor if the jury found appellant guilty.

Appellant was also charged with three separate subdivisions of the Minnesota Statutes on DWI, Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subds. 1(a), 1(d), and 1(e) (1984). The jury acquitted appellant on subdivisions 1(a) and 1(d) but found him guilty of violating subdivision 1(e). On appeal, appellant claims Minn.Stat. 169.121, subd. 1(e) is unconstitutional. The trial court found that appellant had not timely raised the constitutionality issue, but then went on to decide that issue on the merits in favor of the statute. We affirm the trial court’s finding that the issue of the constitutionality of § 169.121, subd. 1(e) was not timely raised. We will review the merits of the constitutional issue as the trial court did, but our affirmance on the question of timeliness is dispos-itive. We affirm.

FACTS

Appellant was stopped at 2:10 a.m. on March 13, 1985, for having a burned out headlight. After observing several indicia of intoxication, the officer had appellant perform certain field sobriety tests which appellant failed. The officer administered a preliminary breath test which appellant also failed. Appellant was arrested for DWI. A subsequent Intoxilyzer test revealed appellant had an alcohol concentration of .12. Appellant was charged with violating Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(a), (d), and (e). [1] Prior to trial, appellant timely[*36] moved to suppress certain evidence. However, he did not challenge the constitutionality of the DWI statute as it pertains to § 169.121, subd. 1(e). Prior to trial, appellant raised and the court resolved a Nyflot issue which is not at issue here.

The trial court submitted all three subdivisions to the jury. The jury acquitted appellant of the charge of violating § 169.-121, subd. 1(a) and 1(d), but found him guilty of violating subdivision 1(e).

In his motion for a new trial, appellant argued that, based on this perverse jury verdict, he was entitled to a new trial in the interests of justice, that errors of law had occurred, and that § 169.121, subd. 1(e) is unconstitutional as applied. .After the hearing on appellant’s motion for a new trial, the court requested written memorandums from counsel on the issue of constitutionality. Appellant argued, among other things, that § 169.121, subd. 1(e) makes innocent activity illegal, impermissibly shifts the burden of proof to a defendant, and by its wording (relative to a driver’s alcohol concentration “as measured within two hours of the time of driving”) acts as an irrebuttable presumption of guilt by presuming that a defendant with .10 concentration within two hours after driving must have been .10 while driving. Appellant argues that the only possible presumption in a criminal case is the presumption of innocence. Thus § 169.121, subd. 1(e) violates a defendant’s due process rights.

The trial court first ruled that appellant’s constitutionality argument was untimely raised, and then held that, even if it had been raised properly, it lacked merit. This appeal followed.

ISSUE

Has appellant waived his right to challenge the constitutionality of Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e) by failing to raise the issue prior to trial?

ANALYSIS

Waiver of Constitutionality Challenge

Appellant did not challenge the constitutionality of § 169.121, subd. 1(e) in any pretrial proceeding. In its ruling following the new trial hearing, the trial court concluded that appellant had waived the issue by not raising it before trial. We agree.

Under Minnesota Rules of Criminal ..Procedure 10.01, 10.02, and 10.03, a challenge to constitutionality, being capable of determination without a trial on the merits, must be timely asserted before trial. We note that the trial court did not find good cause to relieve appellant from the sanction of untimeliness.

Appellant makes the general claim that since he had raised a Nyflot issue prior to trial, he had put the State on general notice of constitutional questions. We do not agree. The Nyflot issue was not related to Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e). To properly challenge a criminal statute on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, a specific pre-trial notice to the court and counsel must be given. We hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in ruling that appellant's challenge on constitutional grounds was untimely. Since the trial court went on to rule on the merits of appellant’s constitutional challenge, we will briefly discuss the merits of the issue raised by appellant.

Appellant argues that Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e) violates his right to due process because it is overly broad. A statute is overbroad when it sweeps too far and regulates permissible conduct. State v. Andersen, 370 N.W.2d 653, 661 (Minn. Ct.App.1985), citing Broadrick v. Oklahoma, 413 U.S. 601, 607, 93 S.Ct. 2908, 2913, 37 L.Ed.2d 830 (1973). “In a facial challenge to the overbreath and vagueness of a law, a court’s first task is to determine whether the enactment reaches a substan[*37] tial amount of constitutionally protected conduct.” Village of Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, Hoffman Estates, 455 U.S. 489, 494, 102 S.Ct. 1186, 1191, 71 L.Ed.2d 362 (1982).

Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e) states: It is a misdemeanor for any person to drive, operate or be in physical control of any motor vehicle within this state: * *
(e) When the person's alcohol concentration as measured within two hours of the time of driving is 0.10 or more.

The State has a legitimate interest in enacting DWI laws. Appellant cites no authority for the proposition that driving while under the influence of alcohol is constitutionally protected conduct. No court has ever so found. We hold that the statute is not constitutionally overbroad.

The claim that the statute is void for vagueness is without merit. The language of the statute applies to appellant’s conduct. Coates v. City of Cincinnati, 402 U.S. 611, 614, 91 S.Ct. 1686, 1688, 29 L.Ed.2d 214 (1971). See Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733, 756, 94 S.Ct. 2547, 2561-62, 41 L.Ed.2d 439 (1974).

Appellant claims that Minn.Stat. § 169.-121, subd. 1(e) acts as an irrebuttable presumption of guilt and impermissibly shifts the burden of proof to the defendant to show that if he was .10 or more within two hours of driving, that he was not .10 or more at the time of driving. The legislature has the authority to define the elements of the crime of driving while intoxicated. State v. Mathiasen, 273 Minn. 372, 141 N.W.2d 805 (1966).

The legislature added subdivision 1(e) to § 169.121 in 1984, and it is not our duty to question whether or not subdivision 1(e) was needed. The need for a criminal statute is up to the legislature.

Under Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e), the State still must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the blood alcohol concentration was .10 or more. Of necessity, juries understand that blood alcohol tests are not taken the instant a driver is stopped and exits the car. By definition, there must be a time lag while the driver is first investigated at roadside and then later transported to an appropriate facility where blood alcohol concentration can be determined. Expert testimony is available to both sides, if needed, on the effects of alcohol in the blood over a period of time. There is no impermissible burden shift to the defendant in a prosecution under subdivision 1(e). Contrary to appellant’s argument, no presumption of guilt is involved. County of Court of Ulster County v. Allen, 442 U.S. 140, 156-57, 99 S.Ct. 2213, 2224-25, 60 L.Ed.2d 777 (1979). See Francis v. Franklin, — U.S. -, 105 S.Ct. 1965, 85 L.Ed.2d 344 (1985).

DECISION

The trial court did not err in holding that appellant had waived his right to challenge the constitutionality of Minn.Stat. § 169.-121, subd. 1(e).

Affirmed.

1

. Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(a) prohibits driving while under the influence.

Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(d) prohibits driving when alcohol concentration is .10 or more. Under this subdivision, the driver’s[*36] ability to adequately handle the car is not the issue, just the test.
Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. 1(e) expands subdivision 1(d), making it a crime to drive when the driver’s alcohol concentration as measured within two hours of the time of driving is .10 or more.