Week 4 Case Description and Analysis

A valued right in the United States is the right to privacy.  This right is constantly being challenged and examined through efforts to improve law enforcement or to provide convenience and [unrequested] tailored or customized experiences. One area where the right to privacy is sometimes challenged or considered is the leasing of hotel rooms. Should guests in hotel rooms be afforded the same rights as if they are in a residence? Does the guest “own” the room or does the hotel? These questions have been explored following September 11, 2001 with passing the USA PATRIOT Act and following the Las Vegas mass shooting on October 1, 2017. 

Week 4 Case Description and Analysis

A valued right in the United States is the right to privacy.  This right is constantly being challenged and examined through efforts to improve law enforcement or to provide convenience and [unrequested] tailored or customized experiences. One area where the right to privacy is sometimes challenged or considered is the leasing of hotel rooms. Should guests in hotel rooms be afforded the same rights as if they are in a residence? Does the guest “own” the room or does the hotel? These questions have been explored following September 11, 2001 with passing the USA PATRIOT Act and following the Las Vegas mass shooting on October 1, 2017. 

As with previous weeks, you are being tasked with providing evaluation, analysis, or critique. The task is not to provide an outline, timeline, or case brief. When relevant, motions and proceedings can be identified, but the focus is on identifying the legal issue presented (not a procedural question) and discussing the arguments and decisions made in relation to that issue. The writing should be an objective, unbiased assessment of the legal issue, relevant law or precedent, and the outcome. Demonstrate your understanding of the outcome

Assignment Instructions

For your case analysis, you will research and select a case [or an event] to examine the innkeeper’s role in providing a safe and secure environment without compromising the rights of registered guests who have been granted a license to use the room.  Examine the legal duties of the innkeeper in regard to the individual guest in relation to all guests and the surrounding community. What is the innkeeper permitted and not permitted to do? What are the rights of the guests or some ethical issues that could arise when it relates to their personal information being stored in the hotel database? As a facet of your writing, identify and discuss how the rights of the guests and the responsibilities of the innkeeper may have changed over time.

To examine the right of privacy further, you can review the case City of L. A. v. Patel and the opinions of the court, including dissenting opinions of Justices Alito and Thomas. 

As a facet of your analysis for this assignment, search for and consult different types of source material, including news reports and videos related to guest privacy in hotels. Citing these sources appropriately within your analysis is a graded attribute of the assignment this week.

Objectives

• Clarify the hotel’s obligation to protect its guests and scope of liability
• Analyze the legal implications of management decisions within hospitality operations
• Analyze legislation influencing the hospitality industry

Standards

The analysis will be presented in essay form using APA writing standards. The following segments can be used to organize your writing; introduction to the case, the issue, the facts, the court’s decision and the reasoning for the decision (1 section), your analysis, and conclusion.

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.

Review the Rubric for expectations.