Opinion ID: 2331603
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Franks v. Delaware Procedure

Text: The trial court's analysis applied the principles outlined by the United States Supreme Court in Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978). In Franks, the Supreme Court explained that an affidavit in support of a search warrant is presumed valid, and in most cases, the facts contained therein may not be disputed by the party against whom the warrant is directed. See Franks, 438 U.S. at 171, 98 S.Ct. 2674; State v. Jacques, 225 Kan. 38, 43, 587 P.2d 861 (1978). The Court then outlined a limited exception. Under the Franks exception, an evidentiary hearing is required if a defendant shows by a sworn allegation that an affidavit in support of a search warrant is unreliable in that it: (1) contains statements that are material to the issuance of the search warrant because the statements were necessary to find probable cause and (2) the material statements (a) were a deliberate falsehood, (b) were made in reckless disregard for the truth, or (c) deliberately omitted a material fact. State v. Francis, 282 Kan. 120, 129, 145 P.3d 48 (2006); State v. Schoonover, 281 Kan. 453, 513, 133 P.3d 48 (2006). In attacking the affidavit, the defendant must point out specifically the portion of the warrant affidavit that is claimed to be false[,] and a statement of supporting reasons should accompany the motion to suppress. Jacques, 225 Kan. at 44, 587 P.2d 861 (citing Franks, 438 U.S. at 171, 98 S.Ct. 2674). In other words, the Franks Court explained, if a defendant makes a prima facie showing that the affidavit is questionable, the trial court should set aside or excise the challenged portions of the affidavit and consider whether the remaining portions of the affidavit provide sufficient evidence of probable cause. If probable cause can be found without the excised statements, no evidentiary hearing is required. On the other hand, if there is not sufficient content in the remaining portion of the affidavit to support a finding of probable cause, the defendant is entitled to an evidentiary hearing to establish the affiant deliberately omitted a material fact, deliberately made a false statement, or made a statement with reckless disregard for the truth. Franks, 438 U.S. at 171-72, 98 S.Ct. 2674.