Lee v. Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division

STREIT, Justice.

Criminal and administrative proceedings are independent of one another, and a favorable outcome in one does not guarantee the same outcome in the other. Sitting in its judicial review capacity, the district court cut in half the revocation time of Jason Lee’s driver’s license because Lee received a deferred judgment in a related criminal matter. We reverse this ruling.

I. Facts and Prior Proceedings

On July 17, 2003, an Ankeny police officer stopped Jason Lee for speeding. According to the officer, Lee had a strong odor of alcohol, blood-shot eyes, and slurred speech. Lee stated…