Opinion ID: 2506634
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Weighing of Interests

Text: ¶ 35 In the cases where searches on less than probable cause were found to be reasonable, although there was an important government interest, the description of the privacy interest as reduced had a significant impact on the balancing. Absent a reduced privacy interest of some kind, it would be nearly impossible for even the most compelling government interest to override an individual's privacy interest unless the burden on the government interest was particularly onerous. Were it otherwise, the government's stated compelling interest in combating drug abuse could be grounds for random drug testing of all citizens. ¶ 36 In this case, there is very little to suggest that the parent of a delinquent juvenile has a significantly reduced privacy interest. On the other side of the balancing equation, while it is a commendable goal, the government's interest in ensuring that parents of delinquent juveniles provide good examples to their children is not as compelling as the other goals of the juvenile courts, such as protecting children from abuse and neglect. The interest is also not one that would be placed in jeopardy by a requirement that there must be probable cause for the search. While it could be possible for there to be a government interest in the juvenile court context that is significant enough and would be burdened enough by a probable cause requirement that the government interest would overcome a parent's privacy interest, we do not find that is the case here. Because the burden a probable cause requirement would place on the government's interest does not outweigh the individual privacy interest in this case, we find that where a delinquent child's parent is ordered to be drug tested, the search must be supported by probable cause.