81 A.3d 680
N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div.2013Background
- Dec 16, 2010, Adkins in a one-car crash; police had probable cause to believe intoxication.
- Adkins arrested for DWI after failing roadside tests; Miranda rights read; counsel invoked at police HQ.
- Defendant transported to hospital; blood drawn at 4:16 a.m. with certificate signed post-draw.
- NJ law at the time allowed warrantless blood draws with probable cause; Schmerber framework cited.
- Subsequent McNeely (2013) restricted per se exigency; Davis retroactivity discussed; state statute and policy guidance referenced.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retroactivity of McNeely to exclude evidence | State argues retroactive rule should not bar admissibility | Adkins argues retroactive suppression required under new rule | Exclusionary rule not required; blood evidence admitted |
| Application of good-faith/Novembrino after McNeely | State relies on settled precedent; no bad faith | Novembrino bars good-faith exception under state constitution | No comprehensive good-faith exception; narrow retroactivity approach applied |
| Scope of deterrence vs. retroactive disruption | Exclusion would deter only future, not present misconduct | Retroactivity more disruptive; preservation of precedent favored | Retroactivity balanced; not suppressing the blood evidence |
Key Cases Cited
- Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757 (Sup. Ct. 1966) (exigency for blood draw; no per se rule of warrantless seizure)
- State v. Dyal, 97 N.J. 229 (1984) (probable cause supports blood draw; no federal right to refuse)
- State v. Ravotto, 169 N.J. 227 (2001) (no warrant needed; exigency due to dissipating BAC; police actions not per se unlawful)
- Davis v. United States, U.S. , 131 S. Ct. 2419 (2011) (retroactivity of new rules; good-faith not required by all contexts)
- Missouri v. McNeely, 133 S. Ct. 1552 (2013) (new case-by-case exigency rule; shifts in scrutiny of warrantless blood draws)
- State v. Novembrino, 105 N.J. 95 (1987) (rejects Le on good-faith exception under state constitution)
- State v. Harris, 211 N.J. 566 (2012) (limits on applying exclusion when no police misconduct; special circumstances)
- State v. Earls, 214 N.J. 564 (2013) (retroactivity considerations for novel rulings under NJ Constitution)