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A Cache County bee company is asking a federal appeals court to revive its claims that a beehive inspector who also owns a bee company conducted an illegal search of a beehive on private property.
Darren E. Cox and Cox Honey of Utah sued bee inspector Martin James and Cache County in 2008. They claimed Martin, who also owned a competing beehive company, opened and inspected Cox's hives without a warrant or prior notice in order to further his own business.
Cox claimed the inspections violated constitutional prohibitions against searches without a warrant and those that guarantee equal protection under the law.
U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups dismissed most of Cox's lawsuit and Cox appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Appeals Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday in a special session at Brigham Young University in Provo. The justices took the case under advisement.
On Thursday, the 10th Circuit also heard oral arguments in other cases at the University of Utah. Cox has refiled some of his claims in state court.