State v. Smith

No. 119,919 IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF KANSAS STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee, v. LISA A. SMITH, Appellant. SYLLABUS BY THE COURT 1. Appellate courts generally avoid making unnecessary constitutional decisions. Thus, when there is a valid alternative ground for relief, an appellate court need not reach a constitutional challenge. 2. When the controlling facts are based on written or documentary evidence or stipulations, the appellate court has as good an opportunity to examine and consider the evidence as did the court below. 3. The Fourth Amendment concept that persons may…