united-states search-and-seizure consent
In the US are you allowed to impose restriction on the government when they want to enter your house without a warrant?
<p>If the government wishes to enter your house without a warrant and they ask your permission to do so, if you impose restrictions on what they can do or a part of the house they can or cannot enter, are they forced to comply with your restrictions or can they do whatever they like?</p>
<p>I would also be interested if your consent with restrictions was disregarded if that would be grounds to have the search deemed illegal.</p>

<p>They must comply with your restrictions, via the principle that consent can be withdrawn. One relevant Supreme Court case is <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/447/649/" rel="noreferrer">Walter v. US</a> 447 US 649, which declares that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When  an  official search  is properly  authorized—whether  by
consent  or  by  the  issuance of  a  valid  warrant—the  scope  of
the  search  is  limited  by  the terms of its authorization</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Likewise in <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/500/248/" rel="noreferrer">Florida v. Jimeno</a>, 500 U.S. 248,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A suspect may, of course, delimit as he chooses the scope of the
search to which he consents.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In <a href="https://www.postschell.com/uploads/United%20States%20v.%20Williams.pdf" rel="noreferrer">US v. Williams</a>, No. 16-3547, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 21304 (3d Cir.), the court elaborated that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>a consensual search satisfies  the  mandates  of  the  Constitution
only  if  conducted within the boundaries of the consent given.  This
recognition establishes  that  it  is  the subject  of  a  consensual
search  who decides the terms of the search.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and furthermore,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>That a   party   may terminate a   search   by withdrawing his
consent is a corollary of the recognition that the  subject  of  a
consensual  search  determines  the  parameters of that search.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Bear in mind that you have to be crystal clear on any limits on the scope of a search.</p>
<p>If this is more of a business call (the electrical inspector) and not a search, they don't have any special powers to enter your house. If the inspector enters your basement study without permission, that is trespassing, but you can't sue him because of that unless there was actual damage done. You can complain to his superior.</p>
