Readers of the GRL Law blog are no doubt familiar with the firm’s efforts to protect the privacy rights of Iowans in State v. Wright. That’s the 2021 ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court that banned police from trespassing on your curbside garbage and searching it without a warrant.
Predictably, the law enforcement community threw a tantrum after the ruling. And they ran kicking and screaming to some legislators at the statehouse who obviously can’t appreciate the difference between the Iowa Bill of Rights and the Communist Manifesto.
The result?
Effective tomorrow, July 1, 2022, anyone can scavenge your garbage. Not just the cops, but also your neighbors, absolute strangers . . . it makes no difference. It’s now open season. Your 12-month free trial of privacy rights in garbage erased by the police state.
Well, for now at least.
GRL Law is very interested in returning to the Iowa Supreme Court to challenge this new law. We think the Iowa Supreme Court should weigh in on the proper branch of government to decide constitutional issues.
Spoiler alert! It is not the legislature (but the statehouse already knows that).
Know anyone charged with a crime following an illegal search of garbage after July 1, 2022? Put us in touch.
[PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Don’t throw away in your household garbage stems or seeds, roaches, baggies with residue, vape carts, packaging or anything else you want to keep from the prying eyes of the local task force. These items will be found and used to get a search warrant for your house. Flush them down the drain instead, grind them in the disposal or burn them where allowed. Make clandestine use of public garbage bins. Anywhere but your own garbage. And don’t put your trash on the curbside the night before collection. Always put it out in the morning.]
