Opinion ID: 1499326
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Appellate Record

Text: Before examining the certified question, we must address the Court of Criminal Appeals' conclusion regarding the sufficiency of the appellate record. The appellate record in this case consists of the indictment, the motion to suppress, the memorandum of law in support of the motion to suppress, the judgment reflecting the certified question of law, the search warrant, the affidavit, the officer's return, and a partial transcript of the plea hearing. The purpose of the record on appeal is to convey a fair, accurate and complete account of what transpired with respect to those issues that are the bases of appeal. Tenn. R.App. P. 24(a); State v. Housler, 167 S.W.3d 294, 296 (Tenn.2005). The appellate record provides the boundaries of an appellate court's review. State v. Bobadilla, 181 S.W.3d 641, 643 (Tenn.2005). An appellate court may consider only evidence contained in the appellate record. Id. The State argues that the absence of the transcript of the suppression hearing precludes appellate review of the issue presented in this case. We disagree. In Tennessee, a trial court may issue a search warrant only when a written and sworn affidavit contains evidence providing the basis for a finding of probable cause. State v. Henning, 975 S.W.2d 290, 294 (Tenn.1998). This Court may consider only the affidavit in reviewing whether the issuance of a search warrant is based upon probable cause. State v. Carter, 160 S.W.3d 526, 533 (Tenn.2005); Henning, 975 S.W.2d at 295. We may not consider any evidence that was not included in the affidavit but was known by the affiant or provided to or possessed by the issuing magistrate. Carter, 160 S.W.3d at 533; Henning, 975 S.W.2d at 295. Although the record does not reflect whether the search warrant and the affidavit were entered into evidence during the suppression hearing, the failure to enter the search warrant and the affidavit into evidence does not necessarily prohibit appellate review of the issues presented. See Bobadilla, 181 S.W.3d at 643-44 (holding that a search warrant that was not entered into evidence could be considered on appeal). In Bobadilla, the search warrant was appended to the defendant's motion to suppress. Id. at 644. We held that appending the affidavit to a motion filed in the trial court and included in the appellate record was sufficient for our review. Id. In the present case, the search warrant and the affidavit were included as a supplement to the appellate record. Although the supplement to the record was certified and provided by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Wayne County to the Court of Criminal Appeals, it was not certified by the trial judge. The omission of the trial court's certification does not preclude appellate review. See id. (recognizing that the search warrant was included in the record that was certified and provided by the trial court clerk to the Court of Criminal Appeals); see also Tenn. R.App. P. 24(f). There is no suggestion that the search warrant and the affidavit included in the supplemental record were not the documents considered by the trial court in denying the motion to suppress. The search warrant and the affidavit were signed by the general sessions judge on August 4, 2003. The search warrant, the affidavit, and the Officer's Return are stamped as filed with the circuit court clerk on August 12, 2003. The search warrant and affidavit provided the basis to search the defendant's residence and were the same documents challenged in the trial court. Cf. State v. Johnson, 854 S.W.2d 897, 901-02 (Tenn.Crim.App.1993) (concluding that because the record failed to indicate that the search warrant was returned to the trial court clerk, the court only can assume that the document in the appellate record was the same document that was contested in the trial court). This Court has held that any matter that the trial court has appropriately considered is properly includable in the appellate record pursuant to Rule 24(g) of the Tennessee Rules of Appellate Procedure when the matter is `necessary to convey a fair, accurate and complete account of what transpired in the trial court with respect to those issues that are the bases of appeal.' Housler, 167 S.W.3d at 298; see also Bobadilla, 181 S.W.3d at 644. The record on appeal establishes that the trial court reviewed and considered the search warrant and the affidavit in denying the defendant's motion to suppress. The trial court referred to the search warrant in its order denying the motion to suppress, in its order attaching the certified question of law to the judgment, and during the plea hearing. The search warrant also is referenced in the certified question of law included in the final judgment. Accordingly, we conclude that the search warrant and the affidavit were properly includable in the supplemental record and, therefore, may be considered upon appellate review.