Jun 162011
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled this week that driving around in a wheelchair or scooter while drunk is not a criminal offense. The court overturned a man’s DWI conviction because the scooter he was operating does not meet the definition of a motor vehicle according to state statute.
This decision is important for two reasons:
- It demonstrates that our legal system is still capable of achieving true justice.
- It means that I can start planning my post-layoff drunken binge without fear of legal repercussions.

But what if your nurse steering your wheelchair is drunk? Whose liability is implicated in such a complicated situation?