Posted on 10/20/2014 7:48:36 AM PDT by GIdget2004
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether hotel operators have grounds to challenge a Los Angeles city ordinance that allows police to view guest registries, a power that local officials say helps them investigate crimes including prostitution.
The City of Los Angeles asked the Supreme Court to intervene after an appeals court said the ordinance violated the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment, which protects against unlawful searches and seizures.
The ordinance requires hotel and motel operators to collect a detailed list of information on each guest, including name and address, car model, license plate number and method of payment. The records are available for inspection by the police department at any time, without a warrant.
Lawyers for the city said its ordnance, and dozens of others like it around the United States, are vital tools for law enforcement when investigating such issues as prostitution, gambling and even suspected militant activity.
The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the ordnance in a December 2013 ruling. The ordinance was challenges by various motel owners in Los Angeles.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Huh? They punt on the perversion of marriage, but decide to tackle whether or not cops can ask if Mr. and Mrs. Smith are in room 433???
This absurd and pathetic Police State supporting SCOTUS will undoubtedly screw us again. Remind me who actually thinks this is a “conservative” Court? No one who thinks that’s for sure.
And you wonder how this fights prostitution.
In hotels which cater to prostitutes, they ask people to sign in as “Mr. and Mrs.” So the registry will show that a married couple has check in. Realistically , not sure how cops checking the registry helps fight prostitution.
Invalid and unconstitutional.
They might catch a few politicians!
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