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Forty years ago, the Supreme Court held in New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325 (1985), that the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures applies to the conduct of public school officials. Based on the facts of the case, the Court upheld as reasonable a warrantless search of a student's purse by school officials. Almost 30 years later, the Supreme Court held in Riley v. California, 573 U.S. 373 (2014), that cell phones generally cannot be searched without a warrant.

How do T.L.O. and Riley impact the search of a student's cell phone by school officials on public school grounds, and how would you protect a student's rights while balancing the school's responsibility to maintain a safe and effective learning environment?

Please use personal examples and perspectives in your essay. You may consider one or more of the following questions in responding to the prompt:

  • Develop a hypothetical scenario involving a warrantless search of a student's cell phone by public school officials. Do you think such a search is reasonable? Why or why not?
  • Consider that schools are adopting different policies restricting student access to cell phones. Do these policies change your analysis for searching of student cell phones?
  • Would you analyze a public school official's search of a student's locker or backpack differently?
  • If you were a judge considering a case similar to New Jersey v. T.L.O. or Riley v. California, would you make the same ruling today? Would you include any additional considerations?
  • Related cases to consider: Vernonia School District v. Acton, 515 U.S. 646 (1995) and Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 v. Earls, 536 U.S. 822 (2002) (random drug testing of public high school athletes did not violate the reasonable search and seizure clause of the Fourth Amendment)

Who May Enter

The Fourth Circuit Student Essay Contest is open to all students currently in grades 6 through 12 from Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Note: Prior award winners as well as children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and members of the household of a federal judge or federal judiciary employee are excluded from the competition.

Submission Deadline

Your essay and entry form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, June 2, 2025. The contest entry form has instructions for submitting your essay. Your essay must be submitted at the same time as your entry form.

Judging

  • Understanding of constitutional principles (35 points)
    Demonstrates a clear understanding of the historical context and significance of T.L.O. and Riley.
  • Analysis and interpretation (25 points)
    Provides thoughtful analysis and considers competing viewpoints before reaching a conclusion.
  • Clarity and organization (20 points)
    Presents ideas clearly and in well-structured paragraphs. Maintains focus on a central theme.
  • Evidence and support (10 points)
    Identifies and attributes information from credible sources. Students will not be graded based on citation format, but the reader should be able to easily identify the source.
  • Grammar, spelling, and composition (10 points)
    Uses appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure, with minimal spelling or grammatical errors.

Exceeding the word limit, missing the submission deadline, using AI-generated content, plagiarizing content, providing false entry information, and not adhering to the rules are grounds for disqualification.

Group Length Awards
Grades 9–12 500–750 words 1st = $1,000
2nd = $750
3rd = $500
Grades 6–8 250–500 words 1st = $250
2nd = $175
3rd = $100

Length & Format

Essays are limited to the length indicated for each grade group. Submit your essay as plain text through the contest entry form. Citations should be placed in works cited, endnotes, or a bibliography in a separate field on the contest entry form and are excluded from the word count. Plain text formatting will not count against you. Submit your essay in the following format:

  • Text typed or pasted into form section.
  • Do not submit your essay as a link.
  • Do not include your name within your essay.

Awards

Winners will be announced in August 2025, and the winning essays will be presented at the Fourth Circuit's Constitution Day Program in September 2025.

Contest Flyer

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Questions

Contact the Clerk's Office at essaycontest@ca4.uscourts.gov or (804) 916-2715.

Contest Flyer

Questions

Contact the Clerk's Office at essaycontest@ca4.uscourts.gov or (804) 916-2715.

Submit Your Entry Form & Essay