The inspector then watched from across the street as those officers performed a search of defendant's alleged residence. The search produced evidence of criminal activity. The trial court granted defendant's motion, and the State timely appealed to this court. We must first address the standard of review governing this appeal. The State argues that no factual disputes are present in this case and that, therefore, the trial court's decision to quash the warrant is subject to de novo review.
Defendant contends that the ruling can be reversed only if it is clearly erroneous.
According to recent case law, an analysis of a trial court's decision to suppress evidence must be conducted in two steps. First, any findings of fact by the trial court are left undisturbed on appeal unless clearly erroneous or against the manifest weight of the evidence. The reviewing court must then apply de novo review to the legal determination of whether the evidence should be suppressed. 184 Ill. 2d at 412. Thus, we need not conduct the first step in the analysis and will evaluate the court's decision de novo.