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Driving While Intoxicated Case Law Update - Texas District ...

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2. OFFICER DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST TO<br />

TESTIFY<br />

Emerson v. State, 880 S.W.2d 759 (Tex.Crim.App. 199a).<br />

Anderson v. State, 866 S.W.2d 685 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1993, pet. ref'd).<br />

Finley v. State, 809 S.W.2d 909 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, pet. refd).<br />

3. DOES THE OFFICER NEED TO BE CERTIFIED?<br />

(a) NO, BUT RULE 702 REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET<br />

Price v. State, 2006 WL 1707955 (Tex.App.-Austin 2006, pet. denied) (Not designated for<br />

publication).<br />

Burkhart v. State, 2003 WL 21999896 (Tex.App.-Dallas, 2003, no pet.) (Not designated for<br />

publication).<br />

Hackett v. State, 2003 WL21810964 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth,2003, no pet.) (Not designated for<br />

publication).<br />

kerr v. Staie, 921 S.W.2d 498 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 1996, n6 pet.).<br />

The Emerson case does not require that an officer have "practitioner certification" before his<br />

testimony on HGN rs admrssible. Such determination is to be covered by Rule 702 of the <strong>Texas</strong><br />

Rules on Criminal Evidence.<br />

(b) cERTrFrcATroN FROM A TRATNTNG COURSE W|LL SUFFTCE<br />

Smith v. State, 65 S.W.3d 332 (Tex.App.-Waco 2001, no pet.).<br />

Officer who had extensive training in standardized field sobriety tests which began at the potice<br />

academy and continued with additional course work who also received certification from a course<br />

at <strong>Texas</strong> A & M University was qualified to testify about HGN.<br />

(c) OFFICER MUST HAVE SOME CERTIFICATION<br />

Ellis v. State, 86 S.W.3d 759 (Tex.App.-Waco 2002, pet. ref'd).<br />

Officer who testified that he never completed the thirty fesf cases he was supposed to perform as<br />

part of a NHISA course on HGN and who testified upon cross that he was not certified to perform<br />

HGN should not have been allowed to testify about HGN. Error was found to be harmless.<br />

(d) LAPSED CERTTFTCATTON W|LL NOT DTSQUALTFY<br />

Patton v. State,2011 WL 541481 (Tex.App.-San Antonio 2011).<br />

ln this case defendant contends officer was not quatified to administer the HGN or testify to its<br />

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