Wyoming Court Oks Phone Approvals For DUI Testing

The Wyoming Supreme Court has endorsed a 2011 state law allowing judges to grant authority to police over the telephone to force motorists to submit to DUI testing.

In Friday’s ruling, the court concluded it’s not a violation of the state constitution for judges to grant telephonic approval to police to test motorists they suspect of driving drunk.

The ruling came in response to a challenge from two Teton County motorists. The ruling means that the cases may now proceed in the court system.

State Rep. Keith Gingery, a Jackson Republican, drafted the law allowing judge’s to grant approval over the phone. He’s also a lawyer with the Teton County Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the motorists.

Gingery says the ruling should help Wyoming crack down on repeat DUI offenders.