Opinion ID: 2634483
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the credibility determination

Text: ¶23 In suppressing the evidence seized from unit sixteen, the trial court held that the State had failed to satisfy the requirements of the independent source doctrine because it was not convinced that McNaughton would have sought the warrant absent the illegal entry. At least in part, the trial court based this conclusion on its determination that McNaughton was not credible because he had failed to advise the magistrate of the prior illegal entry. That assessment, however, relied on the erroneous conclusion that McNaughton had a duty to disclose the prior entry. Had the trial court understood that such disclosure was not required and, in fact, might have tainted the probable cause assessment, it may have reached a different conclusion regarding McNaughton's credibility. Similarly, in affirming the trial court's factual findings, the court of appeals noted that McNaughton's failure to inform the magistrate of the prior illegal entry was indicative of his lack of credibility. Krukowski, 2002 UT App 433 at ¶ 16. Had the court of appeals understood that the prior entry was not material to the magistrate's determination of probable cause, it would have recognized the need to remand the case to the trial court for a new determination of McNaughton's credibility in light of the correct legal standard. ¶24 Although it appears appropriate to remand the case to the court of appeals with instructions that the court of appeals remand the case to the trial court for a new assessment as to McNaughton's credibility, the procedural posture of this case counsels otherwise. As previously noted, McNaughton's failure to disclose the illegal entry in his warrant application was only one of the arguments upon which Krukowski relied in seeking to suppress the evidence obtained from the search. Because the district court suppressed the evidence on the basis of McNaughton's failure to disclose the illegal entry and the court of appeals affirmed the suppression order on that basis, neither court analyzed the merits of Krukowski's alternative arguments, and we did not grant certiorari to review them. [4] Nevertheless, the court of appeals may affirm the suppression order on the basis of one or more of Krukowski's alternative arguments. See Bailey v. Bayles, 2002 UT 58, ¶ 10, 52 P.3d 1158 (stating that an appellate court may affirm a judgment 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 (internal quotations omitted)). Accordingly, we remand the case to the court of appeals to consider whether the suppression order may be upheld on alternative grounds. If not, we instruct the court of appeals to remand the case to the trial court for the purpose of assessing McNaughton's credibility in light of the legal principles articulated herein.