Statement on Blomstrom v. Tripp

Today the Supreme Court of Washington issued an opinion in Blomstrom, et al. v. Tripp that reaffirms the constitutional right to privacy enshrined in the Washington State Constitution. The Court ruled that it violates the State Constitution to require a person to submit to random, suspicionless urinanalysis as a condition of release after a DUI arrest, while on pretrial status.  The ruling is based partly on previous ACLU of Washington cases, Robinson v. Seattle and York v. Wahkiakum School District, that found that suspicionless drug tests by a government institution are unconstitutional.