Piazzola v. Watkins
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
442 F.2d 284 (1971)
- Written by Jennifer Flinn, JD
Facts
Frank Piazzola (plaintiff) was a student at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, living in a university residence hall. University regulations provided that the university reserved the right to enter and search dormitory rooms. Based in part on information from student informants, city and state police officers, with help from the university, searched Piazzola’s room without his consent or a search warrant and found drug paraphernalia. Piazzola was convicted of illegal possession of marijuana. Piazzola’s conviction was affirmed by state appellate courts. Piazzola filed a petition for habeas relief in federal district court, arguing that the evidence found during the search of his dorm room should have been suppressed because the search violated the Fourth Amendment. The district court ruled that the search of Piazzola’s dorm room violated the Fourth Amendment, and his petition for habeas relief was granted. The state appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Rives, J.)
Concurrence/Dissent (Clark, J.)
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