Court Opinion

ID: 9558770
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:16:36.106368+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:09:34.994840
License: Public Domain

BOYLE, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion and join in the dissent of the Chief Justice. As an initial observation, the majority opinion is troublesome to me because it cites with approval, and as having “considerable merit,” those cases which hold that a single EMIT test is not sufficiently reliable to provide some evidence upon which disciplinary action may be based, and then concludes that it is not necessary to address or resolve that issue. Although that portion of the majority opinion is clearly dicta and it will obviously leave the impression — along with resulting confusion — that this Court is condemning the use of a single EMIT test when that issue was not actually resolved, my concern in this case is even more basic and fundamental.
In many of the cases cited by the majority, the appellate courts’ holdings that a single EMIT test was unreliable, were based on the evidence presented to the trial court. In the case presently before us the magistrate court made its findings and conclusions after hearing and considering the evidence presented. The evidence before the magistrate established that a single EMIT test is ninety-five percent accurate. *626Certainly this is “some evidence” or a “modicum of evidence” as contemplated by the United States Supreme Court in Superintendent, Mass. Corr. Institution v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445, 105 S.Ct. 2768, 86 L.Ed.2d 356 (1985), and Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974). In my opinion the legal standard established in those cases has been satisfied in the instant proceedings. See also Cootz v. State, 117 Idaho 38, 785 P.2d 163 (1989).
I also dissent from the majority’s holding that the record does not establish an adequate chain of custody of the urine sample. The magistrate, after hearing and considering the evidence presented to him, found that an adequate chain of custody was established and that the policies and procedures involved in handling the urine sample had been followed.
The trial court has broad discretion and its judgment in the fact finding role will only be disturbed on appeal when there has been a clear abuse of discretion. State v. Giles, 115 Idaho 984, 772 P.2d 191 (1989); State v. Crook, 98 Idaho 383, 565 P.2d 576 (1977); State v. Griffith, 94 Idaho 76, 481 P.2d 34 (1971). At the trial court level the trier of fact, in this case the magistrate court judge, is the arbiter of conflicting evidence. Rankin v. Rankin, 107 Idaho 621, 691 P.2d 1236 (1984). It is the province of the trier of fact to weigh the conflicting evidence and testimony and to judge the credibility of witnesses. Pointner v. Johnson, 107 Idaho 1014, 695 P.2d 399 (1985); Glenn v. Gotzinger, 106 Idaho 109, 675 P.2d 824 (1984); Jensen v. Westberg, 115 Idaho 1021, 772 P.2d 228 (Ct.App.1988). In view of this role, the trial court’s findings of fact will be liberally construed in favor of the judgment entered. Rueth v. State, 103 Idaho 74, 644 P.2d 1333 (1982); Jensen v. Bledsoe, 100 Idaho 84, 593 P.2d 988 (1979). It is well established that a trial court’s factual findings which are based on substantial although conflicting evidence will not be disturbed on appeal. The credibility and weight to be given evidence is in the province of the trier of fact, and the findings made by the trial judge will not be set aside unless clearly erroneous. MacNeil v. Minidoka Memorial Hosp., 108 Idaho 588, 701 P.2d 208 (1985); Pointner v. Johnson, 107 Idaho 1014, 695 P.2d 399 (1985); State v. Campbell, 104 Idaho 705, 662 P.2d 1149 (1983).
In light of the foregoing standards I would affirm the factual findings of the magistrate court that the single EMIT test is ninety-five percent accurate and thus reliable, and that the chain of custody was established. Accordingly, “some evidence” or a “modicum of evidence” is contained in the record sufficient to justify disciplinary proceedings.
BAKES, C.J., concurs.