How does a court decide whether to grant a motion to suppress evidence?

In Minnesota, motions to suppress evidence in drug crime cases are typically used as a defense against the evidence that the government is attempting to use in the case against a defendant. When the defendant files a motion to suppress, the court must determine whether or not to grant the motion. The court’s decision is based on a number of factors, including whether the evidence was obtained through an illegal search and seizure, or if any constitutional rights were violated during the process. The court also examines the motivations behind the search. If it is determined there was no probable cause, or that the government lacked a valid search warrant, then the motion to suppress may be granted. The court will also consider if the evidence was obtained through entrapment. Entrapment is when the government uses means to induce someone to commit a crime when they may otherwise not have. If a motion to suppress is granted, all evidence collected as a result of it will not be admitted in trial. The court must also weigh the importance of admitting the evidence against the fairness and accuracy of the trial. The court must decide if admitting the evidence would violate the defendant’s right to due process. If the court finds that the evidence was illegally obtained, then the motion to suppress will be granted.

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How does a court decide whether to grant a motion to suppress evidence?

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