AI Generated Opinion Summaries

This summary was computer-generated without any editorial revision. It is not official, has not been checked for accuracy, and is NOT citable.

Facts

• The case involves the Defendant, Ricky Devara, who was convicted for driving while intoxicated. The conviction's legal sufficiency was challenged, leading to a series of appeals culminating in the Supreme Court of New Mexico's review.

Procedural History

• State v. Devara, A-1-CA-38922, mem. op. ¶¶ 2, 4 (N.M. Ct. App. May 13, 2021): The Court of Appeals concluded that the district court did not have the authority to determine the evidence supporting the Defendant's conviction for driving while intoxicated was legally insufficient, based on State v. Torrez and Rule 5-701(A) NMRA.

Parties' Submissions

• Defendant-Appellant: Argued that the Court of Appeals' memorandum opinion, which found the district court lacked authority to deem the evidence supporting the conviction legally insufficient, should be reversed. This argument was supported by a petition for writ of certiorari filed under Rule 12-502 NMRA.
• Plaintiff-Appellee: [Not applicable or not found]

Legal Issues

• Whether the district court had the authority to determine the evidence supporting the Defendant's conviction for driving while intoxicated was legally insufficient.

Disposition

• The memorandum opinion of the Court of Appeals is reversed, and the matter is remanded to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings in accordance with the Supreme Court's opinion in State v. Martinez.

Reasons

• Justices Michael E. Vigil, C. Shannon Bacon, David K. Thomson, and Julie J. Vargas participated in the decision. The Supreme Court concluded that the legal issue presented in this case was addressed by the Court’s opinion in State v. Martinez. Based on this conclusion and the Court's discretion under Rule 12-405(B)(1) NMRA, the decision was made to dispose of the case by a nonprecedential order rather than a formal opinion (paras 1-6).