California v. Greenwood
Significance, A Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy, Should The Fourth Amendment Protect Garbage?, Impact
Petitioner
State of California
Respondent
Billy Greenwood
Petitioner's Claim
That a warrantless search and seizure of garbage placed at the curb for pickup does not violate the Fourth Amendment.
Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Michael J. Pear
Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Michael Ian Garey
Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, John Paul Stevens, Byron R. White (writing for the Court)
Justices Dissenting
William J. Brennan, Jr., Thurgood Marshall (Anthony M. Kennedy did not participate)
Place
Washington, D.C.
Date of Decision
16 May 1988
Decision
Reversed the California Court of Appeal decision and ruled that the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the warrantless search and seizure of garbage placed on the curb for collection.
Related Cases
- People v. Krivda, 5 Cal.3d 357 (1971).
- United States v. Calandra, 414 U.S. 338 (1974).
- State v. Hauser, 342 N.C. 382 (1976).
- United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897 (1984).
Further Readings
- Sanders, Alain L. "Lifting the Lid on Garbage." Time, May 30, 1988.
- Shanoff, Barry. "Garbage is Public Property on Curb." World Wastes, June 1998, p. 74.
- Uviller, H. Richard. "The Fourth Amendment: Does it Protect Your Garbage?" The Nation, October 10, 1988.
Additional topics
- Chandler v. Florida - Cameras In The Courtroom, Does The Constitution Forbid Televised Coverage Of Trials?, Impact, Televised Trials
- California v. Ciraolo - Significance, Unresonable Search And Seizure, The Liability Of Open Airspace, Impact
- California v. Greenwood - Significance
- California v. Greenwood - A Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy
- California v. Greenwood - Should The Fourth Amendment Protect Garbage?
- California v. Greenwood - Impact
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Law Library - American Law and Legal InformationNotable Trials and Court Cases - 1981 to 1988