Pringle v. Wolfe

In Pringle v. Wolfe, (88 N.Y.2d 426) the Court found that "a driver's license is a substantial property interest that may not be deprived without due process of law ...." The Court of Appeals found that due process requires that the court must hold a suspension hearing before the conclusion of the proceedings required for arraignment and before the driver's license must be suspended, that a prima facie showing must be established wherein the court finds that the accusatory instrument is sufficient on its face and that reasonable cause exists to believe that the driver operated a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .10 or higher, that the court is in possession of the results of the chemical test in certified documented form and, if a prima facie showing has been made, that the defendant is entitled to an opportunity to make a statement or present evidence to rebut the court's findings. (See, Pringle, supra.)