New Jersey v. T.L.O.

New Jersey v. T.L.O. is a 1985 Supreme Court case that addressed the balance between students' rights and school authority. A high school student's purse was searched by school officials, leading to the discovery of cigarettes and marijuana. The student argued this violated her Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search. The Court ruled that while students have rights, schools can conduct searches based on reasonable suspicion to maintain safety and order. This case established that school searches do not require the same level of justification as police searches, recognizing the unique environment of educational settings.