Opinion ID: 874426
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Smith failed to raise any constitutional challenges to the VSP statutes for the district court or this Court's consideration.

Text: Smith contends that this issue was properly preserved for appeal when counsel addressed the constitutionality of the statutes and regulations in closing arguments. I find that this issue was not properly raised below, and is therefore, not properly preserved for appeal. The district court found that Smith had improperly raised any constitutional challenges to the VSP statutes and regulations, by failing to raise them prior to closing arguments at the evidentiary hearing. That ruling was not in error. The trial court held that Smith had affirmatively waived his right to challenge the constitutionality and validity of the statutes by failing to raise the issue for argument or briefing. Constitutional rights, including the right to due process, may be waived if such waiver is affirmatively demonstrated. Glengary-Gamlin Protective Ass'n, Inc. v. Bird, 106 Idaho 84, 90, 675 P.2d 344, 350 (Ct.App.1983) (citations omitted). The matter of directing and controlling the trial of a cause, including the arguments of counsel, to a great extent lies with the sound discretion of the presiding trial judge. Kerby v. Oregon Short Line R. Co., 45 Idaho 636, 651, 264 P. 377, 381 (1928). The trial court, on several occasions asked Smith's counsel directly if she had the information necessary to conduct an evidentiary hearing contesting the Board's designation. On every occasion, Smith's counsel answered in the affirmative. Additionally, the trial court asked Smith's counsel if she was making a challenge to the statutes on any constitutional grounds, either facially or as applied. Smith's counsel responded that at that time she had not made any challenges to the statute. It was not until closing arguments, in response to a question from the bench, that Smith's counsel entered into a diatribe of constitutional challenges to the statute and regulations, both facially and as applied to Smith. The trial court found these arguments to be untimely. [13] It is fundamental that this Court will not consider issues not raised in the court below and raised for the first time on appeal. This rule applies particularly to constitutional issues. See Buffington v. Potlatch Corp., 125 Idaho 837, 875 P.2d 934 (1994); West v. El Paso Products Co., 122 Idaho 133, 832 P.2d 306 (1992). It has been stated that Ordinarily the appellate court will not consider constitutional questions not raised in the court below. Also, it has been said that the rule that an issue cannot be raised for the first time on appeal applies with particular force to constitutional issues or a claim that a statute is unconstitutional. Furthermore, in order to preserve the issue for appellate review, the constitutional issue must not only have been presented to the trial court, but the trial court must have ruled thereon. 4 C.J.S. Appeal and Error § 300 (2008). This Court has also stated that [t]o raise an issue on appeal, the record must contain an adverse ruling to form the basis for assignment of error and this Court will not consider or review an issue raised for the first time on appeal. Magnuson Properties Partnership v. City of Coeur D'Alene, 138 Idaho 166, 170, 59 P.3d 971, 975 (2002). This Court has also stated that [i]t is well established that in order for an issue to be raised on appeal, the record must reveal an adverse ruling which forms the basis for an assignment of error. Hence, issues not raised below but raised for the first time on appeal will not be considered or reviewed. Whitted v. Canyon County Board of Commissioners, 137 Idaho 118, 121, 44 P.3d 1173, 1176 (2002) (internal citation omitted). In the present case, Smith's counsel affirmatively stated that she was not making any constitutional challenge to the statute, either facially or as applied. Then in the final minutes of her closing argument made nothing more than a broad-sweeping statement that the statutory scheme for the SOCB was unconstitutional as a denial of due process pursuant to Article 1, and § 13 ... of the Idaho Constitution, and further under the Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, by failing to provide adequate notice and standards by which a person can be informed of consequences for their conduct. The constitutionality issue was never briefed by the parties or presented to the district court for consideration or decision and the State had no reasonable opportunity to counter any constitutional arguments. Indeed, there really were no constitutional arguments, since Smith's counsel did nothing more than recite various constitutional provisions; there was no explanation as to how these statutes allegedly violated the constitution or any authority to support such a proposition. Under such circumstances, the district court was entirely correct in ruling that the arguments were untimely and absent any argument, citation of authority, briefing or a decision by the district court on the constitutional issues, such issues are not preserved for appeal and review by this Court. Therefore, I respectfully dissent in the majority's conclusion. The trial court did not err when it found that Smith had affirmatively waived all challenges on due process grounds to the statutes and regulations. Smith's haphazard constitutional challenge to the statute in closing arguments did not afford the state an opportunity to respond, nor did it provide the lower court with briefing on the matter. Smith improperly raised this issue below, and the trial court did not err when it held the issue waived. I would affirm the lower court and find that this issue was not properly raised below and therefore, the issue is not preserved for appeal to this Court.