Warrantless DWI Tests Tossed in McNeely Opinion by Supreme Court

Today the United States Supreme Court decided the DWI case of McNeely v. Missouri. We have previously blogged on this case several times. In summary, the high Court said that police cannot take a DWI blood sample from a driver without his consent where they also did not have a warrant. This means that Warrantless DWI Tests are unconstitutional, illegal, and should not be allowed. Thus any DWI test evidence gathered without a warrant should be tossed out by a Judge.

Because the police in the Missouri case did NOT have a warrant, and didn’t’ even try to get one, AND because the driver refused to consent to testing, the Supreme Court ruled that the driver’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated. Therefore the results of the DWI blood test, and the criminal charge based on it, were tossed out, or suppressed and dismissed, by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This case means that, since Warrantless DWI testing has now been declared illegal by the highest court in the land, overruling prior Minnesota cases, the theoretical underpinnings of all of Minnesota DWI criminal laws and implied consent laws are ALL gone.  This includes the bizarre “crime” of DWI test refusal, which only exists in Minnesota and a few other states.

Minnesota DWI Attorney Max A. Keller, and other leading criminal defense attorneys, are still digesting & sifting through his far-reaching case which has obliterated Minnesota’s criminal DWI and implied consent pre-conviction driver’s licsense case law. So, for a more in-depth analysis, check back here later.  In the meantime, you may want to read this analysis by a leading national commentator on the SCOTUS website.

Max Keller has won countless jury trial cases involving misdemeanors and felonies, sex crimes, and DWI’s. He is a member of the Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice, which only allows the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in the state as members. Max is a frequent speaker at CLE’s and is often asked for advice by other defense attorneys across Minnesota.
Years of Experience: Approx. 20 years
Minnesota Registration Status: Active
Bar & Court Admissions:
State of Minnesota
Minnesota State Court
Minnesota Federal Court
8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals
State of Maryland”

What to Do If You Have Been Charged with a Criminal Offense

Getting falsely accused of domestic violence in Minnesota may put you at risk of losing your job, custody of your children, or even your home. You may face criminal charges and the accusation may damage your reputation in the community, as people will now view you as an abuser. False domestic violence accusations often happen when couples are in a contentious relationship with a risk of divorce.
The top reasons for license suspension in Minnesota include driving under the influence of alcohol, repeated traffic violations, and failure to appear in court or pay fines. Failure to pay child support, criminal convictions and felonies, medical conditions/disabilities, and drag racing can also lead to license suspension. The suspension takes away your driving privileges, preventing you from driving legally.
Motorists arrested for allegedly driving while impaired might wonder, “Can you refuse a breathalyzer?” In Minnesota, the implied consent law requires a person licensed to drive, control, or operate a vehicle to agree to a chemical test to check for alcohol or other intoxicants in that person’s body. Refusing to submit to a breathalyzer or another chemical test is a crime, often charged as a gross misdemeanor.