Boggs v. Commonwealth
Boggs v. Commonwealth
Opinion of the Court
Clarence W. Boggs, the defendant, was charged on a warrant with refusing to submit to a test to determine the alcoholic content of his blood. He was convicted, and his operator’s license was suspended for a period of ninety days. Code § 18.1-55.1 (n). On appeal, he contends that his conviction should be reversed and the charge dismissed because the certificate of the committing justice certifying his refusal was not attached to the warrant as required by Code § 18.1-55.1 (k).
Code § 18.1-55.1 (k) does provide that “the certificate of the committing justice
Under Code § 18.1-55.1 (m), the certificate of th'e committing justice is made “prima facie evidence that the defendant refused to submit to the taking of a sample of his blood to determine the alcoholic content thereof.”
Affirmed.
The certificate of the committing justice is required where the person from whom the blood is sought fails or refuses to execute a declaration of refusal. Code § 18.1-55.1 (j). The defendant in this case refused to execute such a declaration.
A declaration of refusal, when executed, has the same prima facie effect as the certificate of the committing justice.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Clarence W. Boggs v. Commonwealth of Virginia
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published