D.C. family wins suit over raid on home;

In 2007, A family won lawsuit against the DC government that infringe their constitutional rights of privacy. Laura Elkins and John Robbins house that was under renovation raided after a complaint from the neighbor to the D.C. Historic Preservation Office in an attempt to revoke the permits. As a result they have to stop their renovation works that worth of 70 thousand dollar. According to the The Historic Preservation Office, the house renovation work where a sloped roof in the middle and rear of the house, is against D.C. Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act. Well,Elkins and her husband are professional architects. The plaintiff claim after designing the renovation, they submitted plans that were approved by the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs in 2001. They also had six building permits. In 2002 Ms. Elkins and her husband won their case in D.C. Superior Court when a judge determined that the permits were issued properly.
In 2003, a raid was conducted by about, twelve police officers and the DC consumer regulatory Affairs inspectors. They entered their bedrooms of their teenage children, searched drawers and carpet. The D.C. Historic Preservation Office then persuaded the District to obtain the search warrant and file a lawsuit before the D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings. The inspectors and police seized contracts, invoices and a notebook that contained permits, construction records and financial documents. Actually, their warrant allowed a search for proof that the reformation created "an imminent threat to the health, safety and welfare of the public”. The federal court did not argue whether the inspectors had "probable cause" to search the home. However the warrant did not authorize seizure of specific evidence. As the warrant did not specially state any documents to be seized, the seizure of the documents from the house was declared as outside scope and a violation of plaintiffs fourth Amendment rights. Judge Rosemary M. Collyer, of the U.S. District for the District of Columbia, ruled that the raid was an "unreasonable search and seizure" that violated the family's constitutional rights to privacy. Roger Marzulla attorney for Ms. Elkins and Mr. Robbins.said the search,was unconstitutional. He informed that the family would continue with their renovation, although their costs have increased considerably after six years of delays as the legal challenges increased. Mr. Marzulla commented that District officials have to obey the Constitution. The amount of damages the District should pay to them determined in a different trial. The case shows how officers can violate the power to infringe other people’s privacy life. This is the link to the stories
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