Opinion ID: 2582998
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: A Court Can Only Determine if the Requested Records Are Cumulative of Other Evidence After In Camera Review Takes Place

Text: ¶ 49 The State argues that the court of appeals erred in its conclusion that a decision on whether the records are cumulative, and therefore immaterial, is premature. Although the State argued that the journal entries and other evidence already in Mr. Worthen's possession provide more than enough evidence of B.W.'s emotional state and motive to lie, the court of appeals reasoned that communications contained within the records may contain evidence that is independently probative of the wealth of evidence already in Mr. Worthen's possession. Worthen, 2008 UT App 23, ¶ 26, 177 P.3d 664. We agree. ¶ 50 Although communications in the requested records may be cumulative of the evidence already in Mr. Worthen's possession, the trial court can only make such a determination after the actual in camera review takes place. Even if the State is correct in its assertion that the requested records will reveal only cumulative information, there is also an equal likelihood that the records will contain independently probative information or probative information of a better quality. See State v. Shiffra, 175 Wis.2d 600, 499 N.W.2d 719, 724 (1993) (stating in camera review still allowable even though sexual abuse defendant was in possession of evidence that the alleged victim had psychiatric diagnoses, struggled with substance abuse, and had accused others in the past of sexual abuse). [9] Whether the requested records provide only cumulative evidence is a determination best left to the trial judge after review of the records.