National Treasury Employees Union v. Von Raab (1988)
- Docket
- 86-1879
- Decided
- 1988-01-01
Summary
Question: Did the regulations violate the Fourth Amendment? Conclusion: No. The Court held that the "substantial interests" of the government in stifling the drug trade justified "departure from the ordinary warrant and probable cause requirements" associated with searches. The fact that customs personnel are the country's "first line of defense" against drug smugglers and they are exposed to a sometimes aggressive criminal element, places them in a unique and important position in which they have a "diminished expectation of privacy."