State v. Thomas
Thomas
Citation
341 Or. App. 286
Court
Court of Appeals of Oregon
Decided
June 11, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Importance
45%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
286 June 11, 2025 No. 534 This is a nonprecedential memorandum opinion pursuant to ORAP 10.30 and may not be cited except as provided in ORAP 10.30(1). IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF OREGON STATE OF OREGON, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. LEVI WILLIAM THOMAS, Defendant-Appellant. Josephine County Circuit Court 23CR03701; A182389 Pat Wolke, Judge. Submitted April 23, 2025. Ernest G. Lannet, Chief Defender, Criminal Appellate Section, and Rond Chananudech, Deputy Public Defender, Oregon Public Defense Commission, filed the brief for appellant. Ellen F. Rosenblum, Attorney General, Benjamin Gutman, Solicitor General, and Emily N. Snook, Assistant Attorney General, filed the brief for respondent. Before Shorr, Presiding Judge, Powers, Judge, and Pagán, Judge. POWERS, J. Affirmed. Nonprecedential Memo Op: 341 Or App 286 (2025) 287 POWERS, J. Defendant pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a vehicle (UUV), ORS 164.135, and reckless driving, ORS 811.140, and he was sentenced to probation on both counts. As part of the sentence for UUV, the trial court revoked defendant’s driving privileges for one year and imposed a $15 “License Suspension Assessment.” See ORS 809.240(1)(a) (providing that a trial court shall revoke driving privileges upon conviction of an offense that results in mandatory revocation under ORS 809.409); ORS 809.409(4) (address- ing revocation for a conviction of any felony “with a mate- rial element involving the operation of a motor vehicle”); ORS 809.267 (providing that a “court shall add a $15 fee to the judgment in any case in which the court gives notice to the Department of Transportation of the suspension or restriction of a defendant’s driving privileges”). On appeal, defendant argues that the court lacked authority to revoke his driving privileges and impose the assessment because operation of a motor vehicle is not a “material element” of the crime of UUV for purposes of ORS 809.409. We affirm. Defendant’s argument is predicated on the view that, in determining whether a conviction is for a felony “with a material element involving the operation of a motor vehicle” under ORS 809.409, the trial court must look only to the statutory elements of the offense and not the factual circumstances supporting those elements. However, we recently rejected that view of the statute in State v. Schriner, 336 Or App 873, 562 P3d 296 (2024), rev allowed, 373 Or 712 (2025), which was decided after defendant filed his opening brief. In Schriner, we construed “material element” in ORS 809.409(4) to mean “that the factual circumstance support- ing the elements of the offense must be closely related to the operation of a motor vehicle.” Id. at 884. Thus, a “court’s determination whether a qualifying conviction requires it to order the revocation of a person’s driver’s license must be based on the entire factual record supporting the convic- tion.” Id. at 885. Here, as in Schriner, there does not appear to be any dispute that the factual circumstances supporting the elements of defendant’s offense were closely related to the 288 State v. Thomas operation of a motor vehicle. Defendant was charged with and pleaded guilty to having “unlawfully and knowingly operate[d] a motor vehicle, to wit: GMC Jimmy, without the consent of the owner.” Because the trial court was per- mitted to consider those factual circumstances under ORS 809.409(4), and not just the statutory elements of the offense of UUV, we affirm the revocation of defendant’s license and imposition of the related $15 assessment. Affirmed.
Case Details
Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 11, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
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Case Overview
Case Name: State v. Thomas
Citation: 341 Or. App. 286
Court: Court of Appeals of Oregon
Date: June 11, 2025
Jurisdiction: SA
In State v. Thomas, the Oregon Court of Appeals addressed the legal ramifications of unauthorized vehicle use (UUV) and the associated penalties, including license revocation. The defendant, Levi William Thomas, pleaded guilty to UUV and reckless driving, leading to probation and a one-year revocation of driving privileges.
Key Legal Issues
- Authority of the Court: Did the trial court have the authority to revoke Thomas's driving privileges based on the nature of the offense?
- Material Element Definition: Is the operation of a motor vehicle considered a "material element" of the crime of UUV under ORS 809.409?
Court's Decision
The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's decision to revoke Thomas's driving privileges and impose a $15 License Suspension Assessment. The ruling clarified the interpretation of what constitutes a material element in the context of UUV convictions.
Legal Reasoning
The court's decision hinged on the interpretation of ORS 809.409, which mandates the revocation of driving privileges for felonies involving the operation of a motor vehicle. The court rejected Thomas's argument that only the statutory elements of the offense should be considered, emphasizing that the factual circumstances surrounding the offense are critical in determining the materiality of the vehicle operation.
- The court referenced its prior ruling in State v. Schriner, which established that the factual circumstances must be closely related to the operation of a motor vehicle to warrant license revocation.
- In this case, Thomas was charged with unlawfully operating a GMC Jimmy without the owner's consent, clearly linking the offense to vehicle operation.
Key Holdings
- The trial court properly revoked Thomas's driving privileges based on the factual circumstances of the UUV offense.
- The $15 License Suspension Assessment was appropriately imposed as part of the sentence for the UUV conviction.
- The court affirmed that the interpretation of "material element" includes factual circumstances, not just statutory definitions.
Precedents and Citations
- State v. Thomas, 341 Or. App. 286 (2025)
- State v. Schriner, 336 Or App 873, 562 P3d 296 (2024), rev allowed, 373 Or 712 (2025)
Practical Implications
The ruling in State v. Thomas reinforces the importance of understanding how factual circumstances surrounding a conviction can influence sentencing outcomes, particularly regarding driving privileges. Legal practitioners should note:
- The necessity of evaluating both statutory elements and factual contexts when arguing cases involving vehicle operation offenses.
- The potential for similar rulings in future cases where the operation of a vehicle is a component of the offense, emphasizing the court's broad interpretation of material elements.
This case serves as a critical reminder for defendants and legal professionals alike about the implications of vehicle-related offenses and the court's authority in imposing penalties based on the nature of the crime.
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 11, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
Quick Actions
Case management tools