Opinion ID: 2598446
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: propriety of the court of appeals' remand order

Text: ¶ 9 Topanotes' first argument is that the court of appeals was required to resolve the issue of inevitable discovery on the existing record because it was an alternative ground for affirmance raised first on appeal. It is well settled that an appellate court may affirm the judgment appealed from if it is sustainable on any legal ground or theory apparent on the record, even though such ground or theory differs from that stated by the trial court to be the basis of its ruling or action, and this is true even though such ground or theory is not urged or argued on appeal by appellee, was not raised in the lower court, and was not considered or passed on by the lower court. Bailey v. Bayles, 2002 UT 58, ¶ 10, 52 P.3d 1158 (quoting Dipoma v. McPhie, 2001 UT 61, ¶ 18, 29 P.3d 1225) (additional citations omitted); see also Orton v. Carter, 970 P.2d 1254, 1260 (Utah 1998); Limb v. Federated Milk Producers Ass'n, 23 Utah 2d 222, 225-26 n. 2, 461 P.2d 290, 293 n. 2 (1969); 5 C.J.S. Appeal & Error § 714 (1993). However, not only must the alternative ground be apparent on the record, it must also be sustainable by the factual findings of the trial court. [T]he court of appeals must then determine whether the facts as found by the trial court are sufficient to sustain the decision of the trial court on the alternate ground. Bailey, 2002 UT 58 at ¶ 20, 52 P.3d 1158; see also Hill v. Seattle First Nat'l Bank, 827 P.2d 241, 246 (Utah 1992) ([A]ny rationale for affirming a decision must find support in the record.). ¶ 10 The State argues that there is an alternative grounds continuum, marked at one end by cases readily affirmed as a matter of law based on the record, and at the other end by cases where neither affirmance or remand for further fact-finding is justified because the alternative grounds for affirmance are (1) inadequately briefed or (2) clearly rebutted in the record. According to the State, this case falls into a middle ground, where the alternative ground for affirmance, while apparent on the record, requires further development by the trial court before it may be sustained. When the issue is highly fact sensitive, argues the State, it is appropriate for an appellate court to remand for further factual findings. ¶ 11 However, none of the cases cited by the State deal with an alternative ground for affirmance, raised for the first time on appeal, after a trial court has entered a judgment and sentence in a criminal case. Nor could we find any authority for the proposition that the State, after having had one opportunity to establish the admissibility of evidence in the face of a Fourth Amendment challenge, is entitled to a remand to put on new evidence under a new theory of admissibility. In fact, we have previously held that when the State has the burden of proof and the record on appeal fails to sustain any theory of admissibility, the State is not entitled to a remand to put on new evidence. State v. Hodson, 907 P.2d 1155, 1159 (Utah 1995); see also State v. Case, 884 P.2d 1274, 1278-79 (Utah Ct.App.1994); State v. Gutierrez, 864 P.2d 894, 897, 903 (Utah Ct.App. 1993). We note that it is not uncommon for Utah's appellate courts to take such a position. There are a number of criminal cases in Utah where the denial of a motion to suppress is challenged on appeal, the State presents an alternative ground for affirmance, and the appellate court refuses to remand and instead decides the case on the record before it. Hodson, 907 P.2d at 1159-60; State v. Montoya, 937 P.2d 145, 149-50 (Utah Ct.App.1997); State v. Wells, 928 P.2d 386, 391-92 (Utah Ct.App.1996); Case, 884 P.2d at 1278-79; Gutierrez, 864 P.2d at 903. We believe this to be the proper approach in such cases, and we conclude that the court of appeals erred in remanding for what could potentially result in factual findings based on new evidence.