Police obtained a warrant to search a residence after receiving a tip from a confidential informant. The search led to a charge of trafficking methamphetamine and other crimes against a defendant, which prompted her to file a motion to suppress evidence in Cobb Superior Court. The court denied the motion, and the defendant appealed, believing that the warrant was not properly obtained.
Georgia’s Court of Appeals reviewed her case and noted that the police did not fully vet the confidential informant prior to applying for the warrant. The informant also did not have a significant history with the police department, which would have established the informant’s reliability, nor did the department ensure that the claims were sufficiently corroborated. The Appeals Court determined that there was not enough probable to support the warrant and reversed the trial court’s decision.