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Roy Penny Et Al. Plaintiffs-Appellees (86-6280)
vs.
Thomas Kennedy Commissioner of Fire and Police of the City of Chattanooga Tennessee Et Al. Defendants-Appellants. Roland M. Lovvorn Et Al. Plaintiffs-Appellees (86-6281) v. The City of Chattanooga Tennessee Et Al. Defendants-Appellants
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Issues:
Drug testing, public employees, evidence, safety, policy and procedure, Fourth Amendment.
Case Summary:
Officials with the City of Chattanooga appeal the an earlier decision concerning the city's drug testing program for members of the city's police department. Six officers filed suit against the city after department administrators enacted a drug testing program. The officers argued the policy violated rights protected by the Fourth Amendment.
Decision of lower jurisdiction:
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee ruled that the drug testing policy lacked provisions for individual suspicion. The court enjoined the city from acting on its testing policy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the decision of the lower court.
Outcome:
The city wins. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated its original decision on this question and remanded the case. The appeals court reviewed its original ruling in this case and similar one involving city firefighters in light of two rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court. The appeals court stated that the Supreme Court in