A federal appeals court ruled that the FBI violated the Fourth Amendment rights of individuals when it seized the contents of 1,400 safe deposit boxes during a 2021 raid on a Beverly Hills business.
The court determined that the FBI’s actions constituted an unreasonable search and seizure, as the bureau did not obtain individual criminal warrants for each box.
The ruling ordered officials to destroy the inventory records of box holders not charged with a crime, emphasizing concerns about abusive searches and the protection of civil rights.
“This was a resounding victory, not just for our clients, but for the hundreds of people who’ve been stuck in a nightmare for years because of what the FBI did,” Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Rob Frommer said.
“At oral argument, for example, the government failed to explain why applying the inventory exception to this case would not open the door to the kinds of ‘writs of assistance’ the British authorities used prior to the Founding to conduct limitless searches of an individual’s personal belongings,” Circuit Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote.
“It was those very abuses of power, after all, that led to adoption of the Fourth Amendment in the first place,” he added.
Plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit expressed gratification at the court’s decision, highlighting the overreach and impact on civil rights.
“Hearing these judges just knock them down a peg and talk through the situation, this extraordinary overreach and an actual breaking of civil rights … it was just really, really gratifying,” plaintiff Jeni Pearsons said.
“I do think that the FBI is watching this case,” Pearsons said. “And I hope that if they do continue with civil forfeiture processes, that they put structure in place so that it’s transparent and that it’s not just a free-for-all all, which is what this seems to be.”
“It’s a free-for-all all within a ridiculous defense,” Pearsons added.
Despite the favorable outcome, there are concerns that the FBI may continue similar actions unless there are real consequences.
