In Re Colleen S.

Appellant Colleen S. challenges the indefinite suspension of her driver’s license as a condition of probation upon her adjudication as a ward of the court for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. Although we have no doubt that the circumstances would fully support the juvenile court’s exercise of discretion were the condition authorized, we conclude that Vehicle Code sections 13203, 13361, and 13556 limit the authorized period of suspension to 12 months.

Background

Following a tragic automobile accident on her way home from a Fourth of July party in 2001, which resulted in the death of a 20-year-old victim, 17-year-old Colleen was charged in a petition under Welfare and Institutions Code section 602 with felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (Pen. Code, § 191.5, subd. (a)), felony vehicular manslaughter without intoxication (Pen. Code, § 192, subd. (c)(1)), and driving while carrying an alcoholic beverage and without an adult, a misdemeanor (Veh. Code, § 23224, subd. (a)). The petition was subsequently amended to add a count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence (Pen. Code, § 192, subd. (c)(2)), to which Colleen pleaded no contest…