Opinion ID: 1998547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: administrative inspections

Text: Fourth Amendment proscriptions against unreasonable searches and seizures apply only when the conduct challenged violates an actual expectation of privacy which society is prepared to accept as reasonable. California v. Greenwood, 486 U.S. 35, ___, 108 S.Ct. 1625, 1628, 100 L.Ed.2d 30, 36 (1988) (collecting cases). Though the Fourth Amendment protects people rather than places, the determination of whether an actual and reasonable expectation of privacy exists usually requires some reference to place. United States v. Katz, 389 U.S. 347, 351, 88 S.Ct. 507, 511, 19 L.Ed.2d 576, 582 (1967); id., 389 U.S. at 361, 88 S.Ct. at 516, 19 L.Ed.2d at 587 (Harlan, J., concurring). While the degree of privacy recognized as reasonable with respect to commercial properties is different, and indeed lesser than that recognized with respect to private residences, commercial facilities nonetheless enjoy certain protections under the Fourth Amendment. See New York v. Burger, 482 U.S. 691, 699, 107 S.Ct. 2636, 2642, 96 L.Ed.2d 601, 612 (1987); Dow Chemical Co. v. United States, 476 U.S. 227, 234, 106 S.Ct. 1819, 1824, 90 L.Ed.2d 226, 235 (1986). Warrantless administrative searches of areas of commercial properties closed to the public are generally deemed unreasonable. See Michigan v. Clifford, 464 U.S. 287, 104 S.Ct. 641, 78 L.Ed.2d 477 (1984); Torres v. Puerto Rico, 442 U.S. 465, 99 S.Ct. 2425, 61 L.Ed.2d 1 (1979); Michigan v. Tyler, 436 U.S. 499, 98 S.Ct. 1942, 56 L.Ed.2d 486 (1978); Marshall v. Barlow's, Inc., 436 U.S. 307, 98 S.Ct. 1816, 56 L.Ed.2d 305 (1978); See v. Seattle, 387 U.S. 541, 87 S.Ct. 1737, 18 L.Ed.2d 943 (1967); Camara v. Municipal Court, 387 U.S. 523, 87 S.Ct. 1727, 18 L.Ed.2d 930 (1967). Search warrants based upon probable cause, however, are not always required for inspections of commercial properties. Rather, special administrative inspection warrants may constitutionally be granted based upon a determination that the inspection to be authorized is in furtherance of a general administrative plan to enforce legitimate health and safety regulations. See Michigan v. Clifford, supra ; Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648, 99 S.Ct. 1391, 59 L.Ed.2d 660 (1979); Michigan v. Tyler, supra ; Marshall v. Barlow's Inc., supra ; Camara v. Municipal Court, supra . The Supreme Court has also held that in certain pervasively regulated industries limited warrantless administrative inspections may be permitted. See New York v. Burger, supra (junkyards engaged in dismantling automobiles); Donavan v. Dewey, 452 U.S. 594, 101 S.Ct. 2534, 69 L.Ed.2d 262 (1981) (subsurface mining operations); United States v. Biswell, 406 U.S. 311, 92 S.Ct. 1593, 32 L.Ed.2d 87 (1972) (firearms dealers); Colonnade Catering Corp. v. United States, 397 U.S. 72, 90 S.Ct. 774, 25 L.Ed.2d 60 (1970) (alcohol); see also Commonwealth v. Lutz, 512 Pa. 192, 516 A.2d 339 (1986), remanded on other grounds 480 U.S. 927, 107 S.Ct. 1560, 94 L.Ed.2d 754 (1987), vacated on remand 517 Pa. 481, 538 A.2d 872 (1988) (solid waste); Peterson v. Pennsylvania State Horse Rac. Com'n, 68 Pa.Cmwlth. 353, 449 A.2d 774 (1982) (horse racing); Lanchester v. Pennsylvania State Horse Rac. Com'n, 16 Pa.Cmwlth. 85, 325 A.2d 648 (1974) (same). If the scope or duration of an otherwise lawful administrative inspection exceeds the limits appropriate to its legitimate administrative purposes, the inspection becomes a search, and must be justified by a traditional search warrant or equivalent justification. See Michigan v. Tyler, supra . However, because legitimate administrative schemes may have the same ultimate purposes as penal laws, an otherwise lawful administrative inspection properly limited in scope and duration to that appropriate to fulfill the legitimate administrative purposes is not rendered invalid by the inspecting officers' intent to use information and/or evidence obtained during the inspection in a subsequent criminal prosecution. See New York v. Burger, supra, 482 U.S. at 711-18, 107 S.Ct. at 2648-52, 96 L.Ed.2d at 620-23. Thus, evidence obtained in a lawful administrative inspection of a pharmacy may be used in a subsequent prosecution for criminal violations of drug laws. See Commonwealth v. Maras, 16 Pa.D. & C.3d 700, 706-07 (1979); see also United States v. Nechy, 827 F.2d 1161, 1165-66 (7th Cir. 1987) (applying New York v. Burger ); United States v. Brown, 763 F.2d 984, 988 (8th Cir. 1985); United States v. Acklen, 690 F.2d 70, 73-75 (6th Cir. 1982); Matter of Searches and Seizures, 665 F.2d 775, 776-77 (7th Cir. 1981); United States v. Jamieson-McKames Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 651 F.2d 532, 542 (8th Cir. 1981); United States v. Prendergast, 585 F.2d 69, 70-71 (3rd Cir. 1978); United States v. Goldfine, 538 F.2d 815, 818-19 (9th Cir. 1976); State v. Rednor, 203 N.J.Super. 503, 507, 497 A.2d 544, 547 (1985).