Beulah Hunter v. Calvin Auger

Appellants Beulah Hunter, Jane Honorable, and Sylvia Wiese, visitors to family members confined in Iowa penal institutions, brought an action against correctional officials and employees under 42 U.S.C. ? 1983, seeking damages and declaratory and injunctive relief. They alleged, inter alia, violations of their fourth amendment right to be free from strip searches during visits at the institutions based on mere unfounded suspicion that they would attempt to smuggle drugs to their incarcerated relatives. The case was tried to the district court upon stipulated facts and accompanying exhibits. The court concluded that "neither the strip search policies nor their application to the plaintiffs in this case violated plaintiffs Fourth Amendment rights to be free from unreasonable searches." Hunter v. Auger, No. 79-192-2, slip op. at 5 (S.D.Iowa Feb. 26, 1981). This appeal followed. We reverse the judgment of the district court and remand the case for further proceedings.