Opinion ID: 2633412
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of miscellaneous contacts between Young and his daughter.

Text: As part of his motions in limine, Young asked the district court to exclude evidence of three contacts Young had with his adopted daughter after he was charged in this case. These contacts occurred at a Wal Mart store, at a Smith's grocery store, and at the Evanston High School in Evanston, Wyoming. At the time, as a condition of his release on bail, Young was prohibited from having contact with his daughter. The district court found that these contacts were not relevant to any issue in the case. Because the determination of relevance is a question of law, our review of that issue is de novo. State v. Lamphere, 130 Idaho 630, 945 P.2d 1 (1997). On appeal, the State does not argue that these contacts are relevant. It argues that Young did not provide sufficient evidence regarding the contacts for the district court to be able to conclude that they are not relevant. Although Young mentioned these incidents in his memorandum submitted in support of his motions in limine, neither party argued or mentioned these incidents during the hearing on the motions in limine. The State did not argue that they were relevant, nor did the State present or allege any facts showing that they were relevant. Error may not be based upon a ruling that excludes evidence unless a substantial right of the party is affected and the substance of the evidence was made known to the court by offer of proof. I.R.E. 103(a)(2). Absent an offer of proof or anything in the record showing that any of these contacts are relevant, the State has not preserved this issue for appeal. Morris v. Thomson, 130 Idaho 138, 937 P.2d 1212 (1997). As this Court stated in the first appeal in this case, [M]otions in limine seeking advance rulings on the admissibility of evidence are fraught with problems because they are necessarily based upon an alleged set of facts rather than the actual testimony which the trial court would have before it at trial in order to make its ruling. State v. Young, 133 Idaho 177, 179, 983 P.2d 831, 834 (1999). An order granting a motion in limine is not a final order. The trial court can reconsider the issue at any time. If the State believes that any of these incidents are relevant to this case, it can certainly ask the district court to reconsider the issue at a time when it can make a factual presentation showing such relevance.