Heading: New Jersey v. T.L.

O
Plaintiffs Name: State of New Jersey
Defendants Name: T.L.O
Appellants Name: New Jersey
Appellees Name: T.L.O
Citation: 469 U.S. 325
Procedural History
State of New Jersey brought delinquency charges against T.L.O. in the
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of Middlesex County. The court
sided with New Jersey.
T.L.O. appealed to the New Jersey appellate division. Court stands with
previous decision.
T.L.O appealed to the New Jersey state Supreme Court. The ruling was
overturned
State of New Jersey appealed to U.S Supreme Court. The state
Supreme Court decision was overturned.
Facts
Principal of high school found two girls smoking in bathroom
One girl admitted to smoking the other girl did not
The girl that did not admit got her purse searched during the search
principal found drug paraphernalia, money, and an index card of
names of people who owed her money
Principal notified T.L.Os mother and the police and turned the
evidence of drug dealing to the police.
At police headquarters, T.L.O confessed she has been selling marijuana
at the high school
Questions(s) Presented
Does the fourth amendments prohibition of unreasonable searches
and seizers apply to searches conducted by public school officials?
Holding
The ruling of was The Supreme Court of New Jersey was reversed
because the search resulting in the evidence of marijuana dealing of
T.L.O. was found to be reasonable.
The court found the searches conducted by public school officials did
not violate T.L.O.s fourth amendments right.