The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court ruled in favor of New Jersey that school officials have the right to search students with reasonable suspicion that a crime has been or is being committed or in order to enforce school rules. TLO was not satisfied with this because she thought that the search of her bag was unreasonable and a violation of her privacy. However, the school had reasonable suspicion because the two girls were smoking in the bathroom.
TLO appealed the case to the appellate division which produced the same ruling as the juvenile court. But TLO still remained dissatisfied and appealed the case one last time to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme court's ruling was opposite both the Juvenile and Appellate Courts' decision. The justices decided in TLO's favor that whenever an official is in violation of a constitutional write, that evidence gathered can not be used in a criminal case. Also, specifically in this case school officials did not have enough reasonable suspicion to search because smoking was not against school rules.
TLO appealed the case to the appellate division which produced the same ruling as the juvenile court. But TLO still remained dissatisfied and appealed the case one last time to the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme court's ruling was opposite both the Juvenile and Appellate Courts' decision. The justices decided in TLO's favor that whenever an official is in violation of a constitutional write, that evidence gathered can not be used in a criminal case. Also, specifically in this case school officials did not have enough reasonable suspicion to search because smoking was not against school rules.