Court Opinion

ID: 9794216
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 03:01:23.126349+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:12:59.737746
License: Public Domain

Alexander, C. J.
(dissenting) — I dissent. In my judgment, privacy rights of Washington citizens, as recognized in article 1, section 7 of the state constitution, are disturbed by city police who, without benefit of a search warrant, rummage through garbage left for collection at a location in close proximity to the citizen's residence.
I recognize that my view of the privacy provisions of our state constitution's Declaration of Rights is somewhat subjective, but no more so than the majority's view. The majority does acknowledge, however, that Washington courts have generally held that article 1, section 7 of our state constitution provides more protection against war-rantless searches and seizures than the United States Constitution amendment 4. State v. Bell, 108 Wn.2d 193, 196, 737 P.2d 254 (1987). This is certainly understandable considering the broad language of our constitution that "[n]o person shall be disturbed in his private affairs ..." Const. art. 1, § 7. In addition, our Supreme Court has expressly stated that the location of the search is not determinative; *665rather, the appropriate inquiry is whether the State has unreasonably intruded into the individual's private affairs. See State v. Myrick, 102 Wn.2d 506, 510-13, 688 P.2d 151 (1984). In Myrick, court said the focus is on "those privacy interests which citizens of this state have held, and should be entitled to hold, safe from governmental trespass absent a warrant." 102 Wn.2d at 511.
Interestingly, the Supreme Courts of two of our neighboring states have found that police action such as that taken here by the Port Townsend police violated provisions of their state constitutions.
In People v. Krivda, 5 Cal. 3d 357, 486 P.2d 1262, 96 Cal. Rptr. 62 (1971), vacated and remanded, 409 U.S. 33, 34 L. Ed. 2d 45, 93 S. Ct. 32 (1972), aff'd on remand, 8 Cal. 3d 623, 504 P.2d 457, 105 Cal. Rptr. 521, cert. denied, 412 U.S. 919 (1973), the California Supreme Court was called upon to examine article 1, section 13 of the California Constitution,2 a provision identical in wording to the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution. The California court concluded that a warrantless seizure of a defendant's trash was a violation of that state's constitution. The court in Krivda was following its reasoning in People v. Edwards, 71 Cal. 2d 1096, 1104, 458 P.2d 713, 80 Cal. Rptr. 633, 638 (1969), where the court said that where a trash can is left for collection close to one's home, there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. The court stated:
We can readily ascribe many reasons why residents would not want their castaway clothing, letters, medicine bottles or other telltale refuse and trash to be examined by neighbors or others, *666at least not until the trash has lost its identity and meaning by becoming part of a large conglomeration of trash elsewhere.
Similarly, the Supreme Court of Hawaii has held that the seizure of a defendant's trash, without benefit of a warrant, is the type of governmental intervention that article 1, section 6 of the Hawaii constitution3 was intended to prevent. State v. Tanaka, 67 Hawaii 658, 701 P.2d 1274 (1985). The Hawaii court wisely recognized that if it were to hold otherwise, police could indiscriminately search everyone's trash without any reason and thereby learn of their activities, associations and beliefs. State v. Tanaka, 701 P.2d at 1277. This conduct, it would seem, is to be abhorred as much in Washington as in Hawaii.
The majority makes much of the point that the garbage can which was searched by the Port Townsend police was slightly outside the curtilage of Boland's premises. Any expectation of privacy, they say, was, therefore, gone. I disagree. If a garbage can is placed in the location designated for garbage collection, as was the case here, and if that location is still closely identified with the premises from which the garbage came, albeit slightly beyond the curtilage of the premises, it would seem obvious that there is an expectation that the contents of the garbage can are private until such time as they are mixed with other garbage. That expectation of privacy would seem to be as great as it would be if the garbage can were just a few feet closer to the home it served and, thus, within the curtilage of the premises which it serves.
The view I have expressed is consistent with the reasoning of our Supreme Court in State v. Gunwall, 106 Wn.2d 54, 720 P.2d 808 (1986). In that case, the court was concerned with telephone records. The Gunwall court recognized that although a telephone subscriber knowingly *667discloses the numbers dialed by him to the telephone company, such disclosure does not alter the telephone user's expectation of privacy:
Telephone calls cannot be made except through the telephone company's property and without payment to it for the service. This disclosure has been necessitated because of the nature of the instrumentality, but more significantly the disclosure has been made for a limited business purpose and not for release to other persons for other reasons.
Gunwall, 106 Wn.2d at 68 (quoting State v. Hunt, 91 N.J. 338, 347, 450 A.2d 952 (1982)).
The ''disclosure" one makes by placing his garbage on the sidewalk for pickup is similar to the disclosure discussed in Gunwall because it is necessitated by the nature of garbage collection. Furthermore, the disclosure is made by an individual for the limited purpose of having his or her garbage collected by the municipality or private company which possesses a monopoly on garbage collection. By turning the garbage over to the garbage collector, a person should not be deemed to have disclosed its contents to the world.
It is perhaps difficult for one to get emotional about garbage. It is, after all, just garbage. On the other hand, most persons would feel that their privacy was being invaded if police were allowed free rein to rummage through their automobile or their dresser drawers. Garbage cans excite less interest. One's garbage does, however, tell a great deal about the person whose garbage it is — perhaps it reveals more than does the contents of one's dresser drawers. We should be slow to permit anyone, including the police, to pry into a person's privacy by examining a person's private places, including their garbage cans while those cans are still identified with a particular premises.4 On the other *668hand, if the police have probable cause to examine one's garbage, then let them do it the old fashioned way — obtain a warrant. I would affirm the Superior Court Judge of Jefferson County who wisely held that this search violated our state constitution.
Review granted at 113 Wn.2d 1035 (1990).

Article 1, section 13 of the California Constitution provides, in part:
”§ 13 Search and seizure
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable seizures and searches may not be violated;..."
Article 1, section 1 of the California Constitution states:
"All people are by nature free and independent and have inalienable rights. Among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy." (Italics mine.)

Article 1, section 6 of the Hawaii Constitution provides:
"The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest. The legislature shall take affirmative steps to implement this right."

The Port Townsend city government has legislatively recognized that garbage is to a degree, sacrosanct. Port Townsend Municipal Code 6.04.040 provides:
6.04.040 Permit to collect. It is unlawful for anyone except city employees to collect, remove, or transport garbage, offal, or any other offensive or obnoxious substances or to operate any vehicle for such purpose through the streets, highways or other ways within the city without first having obtained a permit from the city health officer. The permit shall be numbered and shall be valid *668for one year, unless sooner revoked by the city health officer; provided, however, that such service may be let by contract to others, in which case the contractor shall be substituted for the superintendent insofar as the terms of Section 6.04.040 through 6.04.070 provide.
Washington's largest city has adopted an even tougher stance toward those who would be garbage voyeurs. Seattle City Code 21.36.100 provides:
21.36.100 Unlawful use of garbage can.
It is unlawful for anyone other than the owner or one authorized by him to deposit any material in any garbage can or detachable container or to remove the cover therefrom or to remove or disturb any of the contents thereof except for collection.