Odd, but my copy of the Constitution (w/amendments) doesn't even contain the word "privacy," let alone any mention of a "right to privacy." (*Damn* these variorum editions!) There is the Fourth Amendment, of course, but the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures is not synonymous with the right to privacy, IMO.
I believe it was in Katz v. U.S. (1967) that the Supreme Court first enunciated the doctrine of a "reasonable expectation of privacy." It's interesting that it took the advent of telecommunications to bring this issue to the fore -- Katz was a wiretapping case. Of course,
I was told/taught/have read that _Griswold v. Connecticut_ (1965?) was a key case in defining the "Constitutional Right to Privacy." Briefly, Griswold was representing Planned Parenthood, and was challenging a CT law that made it illegal to give information about birth control to anyone except married couples. The Supremes said that this was an undue invasion of privacy, and that there *was* a Constitutional right to privacy. They neglected to specify exactly where it was, though. ;) However, they suggested that it was held somewhere under the Ninth Amendment. Of course, 'assert (Mike == LAWYER);' fails during runtime. YMMV. -- Michael Brandt Handler <grendel@netaxs.com> Philadelphia, PA, USA PGP v2.6 public key via server / finger / mail "I am iron, I am steel, nobody can touch me when I'm on the wheel" -- Curve