Opinion ID: 2611058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Improper documentation of signatures on warrant and affidavit.

Text: Defendant claims that Detective Kominek did not provide him with a proper certified true copy of the search warrant and that Kominek forged the signatures on the copy he gave defendant. These contentions are without merit. The trial court heard defendant's repeated claims on this issue and found them to be factually meritless by upholding the validity and sufficiency of the warrants. Under Ball v. Gladden, 250 Or. 485, 487, 443 P.2d 621 (1968), if the evidence sustains a trial court's finding of historical facts, those findings will not be overturned on review. The evidence in the record supports the trial court's factual findings. Detective Crawford, the affiant, testified that he took the affidavit to Judge Barlow's home on a Saturday night and that he swore to the truth of his affidavit and signed it in the presence of the judge. Judge Barlow, a Marion County District Judge, testified that he administered an oath to Detective Crawford and personally observed him sign the affidavit. Judge Barlow further testified that he signed the bottom of this affidavit as a certifying witness and that he personally authorized and signed each of the three search warrants. Detective Crawford testified that he subsequently conformed copies of the two search warrants authorizing the search of defendant's apartment and his girlfriend's car. Detective Kominek testified that he gave defendant a certified true copy of the search warrant authorizing the search of defendant's person; specifically, Kominek stated that he filled in the conformed signature of the judge. By ruling as it did, the trial court obviously believed these witnesses and disbelieved defendant's testimony. The trial court's findings are supported by the record and its conclusion that service of a conformed copy on defendant was adequate was not erroneous. Defendant further argues that an original affidavit must be attached to each original search warrant and, therefore, that two of the warrants issued below (the ones authorizing the search of defendant's apartment and his girlfriend's car) were invalid and unlawful because only a photocopy of the affidavit was attached to the warrants. This argument is without any merit. Detective Crawford presented an original affidavit that set forth his reasons why probable cause existed to support three search warrants: to search defendant's body, his apartment, and his girlfriend's car. He submitted three individual search warrants; one directed to each location. All three warrants were kept together. The magistrate found probable cause existed to search each location based on this affidavit, and he signed each of the three search warrants. The original affidavit was attached to the original copy of the first search warrant (authorizing the search of defendant's body). Subsequently, photocopies of the original affidavit were attached to the other two search warrants. Defendant claims that ORS 133.545 requires an original affidavit to be attached to the search warrant but cites no authority for his position. Contrary to his contention, ORS 133.545 does not require an original affidavit to be part of the application for a search warrant. The issuing magistrate signed the original affidavit as a witness and correctly determined at the same time that this single affidavit established probable cause for issuance of the three attached search warrants. The magistrate personally signed each original search warrant. For administrative convenience, photocopies of the original signed affidavit were attached to the court's copies of the latter two warrants. As stated, this claim is without merit.