Last year, Michigan's Court of Appeals affirmed a township's right to spy on private property without a warrant. Now the state Supreme Court has decided to weigh in.
Todd and Heather Maxon live on a five-acre property in rural Long Lake Township on the northwest corner of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Todd likes to work on cars, so they keep vehicles on the property but hidden from the road. In 2007, the township sued the Maxons for storing "junk" on their property, a zoning violation. The couple fought back and won: The township agreed to drop the case and reimburse attorney fees, and in exchange the Maxons would not expand their collection.
