On Point: E. Administrative searches

State v. Timothy T. Clark, 2003 WI App 121
For Clark: Rodney Cubbie

Issue/Holding: Existence of, and compliance with, a police policy on conducting an inventory search relates only to the reasonableness of the search and not the seizure of the item searched:

¶11. Here, the State contends that the search of the vehicle was a valid inventory search. “Although an inventory search is a ‘search’

State v. Brandon L. Wheat, 2002 WI App 153, PFR 6/14/02
For Wheat: Steven A. Koch, Bradley J. Lochowicz

Issue/Holding: The record shows that the search of defendant’s residence was performed by his probation agent; police officers were present only for protection; therefore, this was a probation and not a law enforcement search. ¶23.

UPDATE: What about where the search of the probationer/parolee’s home is conducted by the police alone?

State v. Brandon L. Wheat, 2002 WI App 153, PFR 6/14/02
For Wheat: Steven A. Koch, Bradley J. Lochowicz

Issue/Holding: Because the exclusionary rule doesn’t apply at revocation hearings, “(a) reasonable probation search, as conducted here, is lawful even if the probation officer relies, in part, on information from law enforcement officials in violation of the Fourth Amendment.” ¶29.

State v. Charles J. Hajicek, 2001 WI 3, 240 Wis. 2d 349, 620 N.W.2d 781, reversing 230 Wis. 2d 697, 602 N.W.2d 93 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Hajicek: Bruce J. Rosen, Susan C. Blesener

Issue1: Whether a trial court finding that a search conducted jointly by probation and police agents was a police rather than probation search is reviewed deferentially.

Holding:

¶2 ….

State v. Albert Jackowski, 2001 WI App 187
For Jackowski: Ronald C. Shiroka

Issue: Whether violation of a statutory requirement for issuance of a building inspection warrant (namely, the § 66.0119(2) condition that such a warrant be issued only upon showing that consent to enter was refused) supports suppression of evidence obtained after entry under the warrant.

Holding:

¶17. We accept, however, the State’s alternative argument that refusal of consent is not a constitutional requirement for issuance of an administrative warrant,

State v. Albert Jackowski, 2001 WI App 187
For Jackowski: Ronald C. Shiroka

Issue1: Whether review of issuance of an administrative warrant is entitled to the same deference as a criminal search warrant.

Holding: “Great deference” is no less accorded a magistrate’s decision to issue an administrative warrant than a criminal search warrant. ¶¶9-14.

Issue2: Whether a building inspection warrant must be supported by probable cause to believe code violations then exist in the building.