A federal court has ruled that using chalk to mark tires when enforcing time limits on parking meters is unconstitutional.
NPR reports that Alison Taylor, a Michigan woman who was the "frequent recipient of parking tickets" brought the case to court. Taylor was specifically targeting a parking enforcement officer who had given her 15 parking tickets in just a few years. Taylor's lawyer argued that the tire-chalking was unconstitutional since the officer was unreasonably searching her private property.
The court agreed with Taylor, saying chalking violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable search and seizures.
A lawyer speaking to NPR said that the officer could side-step the issue by simply taking a photo of the car in question.
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