State v. Browning

834 P.2d 84, 67 Wash. App. 93, 1992 Wash. App. LEXIS 354
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedAugust 17, 1992
Docket27892-4-I; 27893-2-I
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 834 P.2d 84 (State v. Browning) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Browning, 834 P.2d 84, 67 Wash. App. 93, 1992 Wash. App. LEXIS 354 (Wash. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinions

Baker, J.

This is a search and seizure case in which a building inspector inadvertently discovered marijuana plants in the Brownings' basement during a final housing inspection. We reverse the Brownings' convictions for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver because the inspector's entry into the house was unlawful.

Factual Background

A building inspector arrived at the Brownings' house to perform a final housing inspection. When the inspector arrived, he observed Michele Browning entering the garage. The inspector did not present any credentials; however, Ms. [95]*95Browning recognized him as an inspector from a prior meeting. The two engaged in conversation, the content of which is disputed.

The inspector testified at the suppression hearing that he informed Browning that a final inspection had been requested. According to the inspector, Browning told him she was taking care of a sick relative and then went back into the house. The inspector stated that Browning never told him he could not complete the inspection.

Browning testified that she met the inspector in the driveway and asked him why he was there; she thought the final inspection had already been completed. According to Browning, she asked the inspector to come back when her husband was home. When the inspector refused, she told him to wait in the driveway while she looked for requested paperwork and contacted her husband.

In any event, it is undisputed that when Browning went into the house, the inspector began inspecting the premises. During the inspection, he observed unauthorized construction which led to a room concealing numerous marijuana plants. His observations were reported to the police, who obtained a search warrant.

The Brownings were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or deliver. The trial court denied a motion to suppress the evidence brought on grounds that the inspector entered the premises unlawfully. The Brownings stipulated to facts sufficient to establish guilt, and appealed.

Did the Inspection Constitute a Search?

The protections of the Fourth Amendment and Const. art. 1, § 7 extend to administrative or regulatory searches. Camara v. Municipal Court, 387 U.S. 523, 18 L. Ed. 2d 930, 87 S. Ct. 1727 (1967). The State argues that the inspection did not constitute a search under the federal or state constitutions because the marijuana plants were observed in plain view, citing State v. Vonhof, 51 Wn. App. 33, 751 P.2d [96]*961221, review denied, 111 Wn.2d 1010 (1988), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 1008 (1989) and State v. Seagull, 95 Wn.2d 898, 632 P.2d 44 (1981).

Both Vonhof and Seagull involved observations from points within the curtilage of the residences but not within areas deemed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Accordingly, the courts held that the observation of incriminating evidence from these points did not constitute a search. These cases thus involve the open view doctrine and stand for the proposition that there is no legitimate expectation of privacy "in those areas of the curtilage that are impliedly open to the public." Utter, Survey of Washington Search and Seizure Law: 1988 Update, 11 U. Puget Sound L. Rev. 411, 430 (1988); Seagull, 95 Wn.2d at 902; see also State v. Ferro, 64 Wn. App. 181, 824 P.2d 500, review denied, 119 Wn.2d 1005 (1992).

In this case, the inspector entered the residence itself, an area within which there was an unquestionable expectation of privacy. Thus, this case involves the "plain view" doctrine, not the "opén view" doctrine discussed in Vonhof and Seagull. Our Supreme Court has explained the difference as follows:

In the "plain view" situation "the view takes place after an intrusion into activities or areas as to which there is a reasonable expectation of privacy." The officer has already intruded, and, if his intrusion is justified, the objects in plain view, sighted inadvertently, will be admissible.
In the "open view" situation, however, the observation takes place from a non-intrusive vantage point. The governmental agent is either on the outside looking outside or on the outside looking inside to that which is knowingly exposed to the public. The object under observation is not subject to any reasonable expectation of privacy and the observation is not within the scope of the constitution.

(Citations omitted.) Seagull, 95 Wn.2d at 901-02 (quoting State v. Kaaheena, 59 Hawaii 23, 28-29, 575 P.2d 462 (1978)). Therefore, because the observation of incriminating evidence in this case was from a constitutionally protected area, we hold that the inspection constituted a search under the federal and state constitutions.

[97]*97Dm the Inspector Enter the Residence Lawfully?

The Brownings assert that the building inspector entered the residence unlawfully because Browning did not consent to the entry and the inspector did not present his credentials or request entry as required by the Uniform Building Code (UBC). We agree.

In Bumper v. North Carolina, 391 U.S. 543, 20 L. Ed. 2d 797, 88 S. Ct. 1788 (1968), four policemen announced that they had a warrant to search a house, and the owner responded "go ahead". At trial, no warrant was produced, but the prosecutor argued that the search was permissible on grounds that a valid consent to the search had been given. The Supreme Court reversed the appellant's conviction and stated:

When a prosecutor seeks to rely upon consent to justify the lawfulness of a search, he has the burden of proving that the consent was, in fact, freely and voluntarily given. Tins burden cannot be discharged by showing no more than acquiescence to a claim of lawful authority.

(Footnote omitted.) Bumper, 391 U.S. at 548-49.

The claim of lawful authority referred to in Bumper has not been limited to situations in which officers claim to have a search warrant. 3 W. LaFave, Search and Seizure § 8.2(a), at 179 (2d ed. 1987). "The claim of such a right, though not expressly stated, is implicit when the police, instead of asking for permission to make the search, say that they have come to search or that they are going to search." (Footnotes omitted.) Search and Seizure § 8.2(a), at 179-80.

In United States v. Most, 876 F.2d 191 (D.C. Cir. 1989), the Court of Appeals rejected the government's argument that acquiescence or nonresistance may support an inference of implied consent. The court stated, "[i]t is clear.. . that for constitutional purposes nonresistance may not be equated with consent." Most, 876 F.2d at 199. See also Patzner v. Burkett,

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State v. Browning
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Bluebook (online)
834 P.2d 84, 67 Wash. App. 93, 1992 Wash. App. LEXIS 354, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-browning-washctapp-1992.