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Minn. Stat. § 169A.46

AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES.

Known as the Minnesota Impaired Driving Code

The act spans §§ 169–169 (39 sections).

Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case Fedziuk v. Commissioner of Public Safety (2005)

Most recently applied in Axelberg v. Commissioner of Public Safety (May 2014)

2000 c 478 art 1 s 27; 2009 c 83 art 2 s 18; 2015 c 65 art 6 s 9; 2023 c 25 s 88

Subdivision 1. Impairment occurred after driving ceased.

If proven by a preponderance of the evidence, it is an affirmative defense to a violation of section 169A.20, subdivision 1 , clause (5) (driving while impaired, alcohol concentration within two hours of driving), or 169A.20 by a person having an alcohol concentration of 0.16 or more as measured at the time, or within two hours of the time, of the offense, that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of alcohol after the time of the violation and before the administration of the evidentiary test to cause the defendant's alcohol concentration to exceed the level specified in the applicable clause. Evidence that the defendant consumed alcohol after the time of the violation may not be admitted in defense to any alleged violation of section 169A.20 , unless notice is given to the prosecution prior to the omnibus or pretrial hearing in the matter.

Subd. 2. Impairment from prescription drug.

If proven by a preponderance of the evidence, it is an affirmative defense to a violation of section 169A.20, subdivision 1 , clause (7) (presence of Schedule I or II controlled substance), that the defendant used the controlled substance according to the terms of a prescription issued for the defendant in accordance with sections 152.11 and 152.12 .

Official source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Reproduced from public-domain Minnesota statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.