State v. Jackson

In a well-reasoned opinion the Court of Appeals analyzed the Habitual Traffic Violator statute both before and after the 2004 amendments as well as pertinent case authority interpreting the statute. Affirming the trial court’s judgment the Court of Appeals concluded, “[tjhese considerations, along with the requirement that we construe penal statutes strictly against the State and resolve ambiguities in favor of the accused, lead us to hold that the [HTV] statute requires that the State prove the defendant knew his or her license was suspended because of that person’s status as an HTV.” State…