DeWitt v. South Carolina Dept. of Highways and Public Transp., 21120

CourtUnited States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
Writing for the CourtPER CURIAM
Citation262 S.E.2d 28,274 S.C. 184
PartiesJames DeWITT, Respondent, v. SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, Appellant.
Docket NumberNo. 21120,21120
Decision Date15 January 1980

Page 28

262 S.E.2d 28
274 S.C. 184
James DeWITT, Respondent,
v.
SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS AND PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION, Appellant.
No. 21120.
Supreme Court of South Carolina.
Jan. 15, 1980.

Page 29

[274 S.C. 185] Atty. Gen. Daniel R. McLeod, Asst. Atty. Gen., Richard D. Bybee and Staff Atty. William L. Todd, Columbia, for appellant.

Furman & Speedy, Camden, for respondent.

PER CURIAM:

This appeal is from an order enjoining appellant South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation from imposing against respondent James DeWitt the civil sanctions for driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense. We reverse.

Respondent was convicted on June 8, 1970, in Magistrate's Court of driving under the influence of alcohol, first offense. He did not seek appellate review of that conviction.

On May 19, 1978, respondent was tried in Chesterfield County Court of General Sessions on a charge of driving under the influence, second offense. At this trial, the judge reviewed respondent's first conviction for driving under the influence and determined that it was invalid. Thereupon, the judge ordered the first conviction be set aside. He then permitted respondent to enter a guilty plea to driving under the influence, first offense, and ordered that this conviction be [274 S.C. 186] treated by all law enforcement officers and all administrative agencies as a first offense and that any sanctions imposed be those of a first offense.

Despite such order, appellant requested respondent to forfeit his driver's license for one year, the statutorily mandated civil sanction for a conviction of driving under the influence, second offense. See S.C.Code of Laws, § 56-5-2990 (1976). Following appellant's request, respondent obtained an order from the Richland County Court of Common Pleas enforcing the trial judge's order and permanently enjoining appellant from imposing sanctions against respondent for driving under the influence, second offense.

Appellant now contends that the trial judge was without the authority or jurisdiction to review the legality of or set aside respondent's first conviction, and hence, the lower court was in error when it issued an injunction enforcing the trial judge's order. We agree.

A circuit court's jurisdiction over a magistrate court's judgment is appellate in nature. State v. Dickert, 260 S.C. 490, 197 S.E.2d 89 (1973); See also: Sections 18-3-10, Et seq. and 18-1-150, S.C.Code of Laws (1976)....

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11 cases
  • State v. Atkins, 23281
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
    • 18 September 1989
    ...trial was not the proper forum for collateral attack upon that conviction. See, Dewitt v. South Carolina Department of Highways, 274 S.C. 184, 262 S.E.2d 28 II. JURY INSTRUCTION REGARDING 1970 MURDER CONVICTION Atkins next contends that the trial Court failed to fully instruct the jury on t......
  • State v. Payne, 2873.
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of South Carolina
    • 20 July 1998
    ...record on appeal). The case most relevant to the resolution of this issue is DeWitt v. South Carolina Dep't of Highways & Pub. Transp., 274 S.C. 184, 262 S.E.2d 28 (1980) (per curiam), in which our supreme court When the State is prosecuting a person for an offense that carries an enhanced ......
  • Spratt v. State, 2020-UP-292
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of South Carolina
    • 14 October 2020
    ...was the subject of the prior conviction.'" Id. at 272, 504 S.E.2d at 338 (quoting DeWitt v. S.C. Dep't of Highways & Pub. Transp., 274 S.C. 184, 187, 262 S.E.2d 28, 29-30 (1980) (per curiam)). Because we find Spratt had the right to appointed counsel during the 1998 Plea, the presumption of......
  • Spratt v. State, Appellate Case No. 2016-001346
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of South Carolina
    • 14 October 2020
    ...was the subject of the prior conviction.'" Id. at 272, 504 S.E.2d at 338 (quoting DeWitt v. S.C. Dep't of Highways & Pub. Transp., 274 S.C. 184, 187, 262 S.E.2d 28, 29-30 (1980) (per curiam)). Because we find Spratt had the right to appointed counsel during the 1998 Plea, the presumption of......
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