Date: 09-11-2024

Case Style:

State of Alaska v. Christopher Isaiah Woodcox

Case Number: 4FA-23-01775

Judge: Maria P. Bahr

Court: District Court, Fourth Judicial District, Fairbanks, Alaska

Plaintiff's Attorney: North Star Borough, Fairbanks Alaska District Attorney's Office

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Fairbanks, Alaska misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI) criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant.

Christopher Isaiah Woodcox is charged with one count of misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI).[1] Under AS 28.35.030(b)(1), a defendant who has been convicted of misdemeanor DUI is subject to an enhanced mandatory minimum sentence if the person has been "previously convicted" of DUI or refusal to submit to a chemical test.[2]

After Woodcox was charged with misdemeanor DUI, he filed a motion contending that a previous conviction he received for drunken driving, entered in 2022 by a military court, should not subject him to sentencing as a second DUI offender in Alaska. The district court agreed, ruling, inter alia, that Woodcox's military conviction did not qualify as a previous conviction because the State had not established that the conviction was for a crime that has "elements similar" to DUI under Alaska law. The court also suggested that Woodcox's conviction may have been entered in violation of Woodcox's fundamental rights.

The State petitioned this Court for review of the district court's ruling. For the reasons we explain in this opinion, we grant the State's petition and reverse the district court's order ruling that Woodcox has not been "previously convicted" for purposes of establishing his mandatory minimum sentence under AS 28.35.030(b)(1).

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Outcome: Reversed

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: