Students seeking a business degree in LDS Business College have already made significant achievements throughout their lives and are trying to develop market-ready skills. LDSBC offers a business education program where students learn in an environment inspired by the religious beliefs of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints.
The repercussions for LDS students charged with a crime can be severe at various levels. The criminal charge can lead to jail time, fines, and other penalties. At the academic level, LDSBC students may expelled and disqualified for graduation. Any student who disobeys the law violates the college’s honor code of conduct and, consequently, risks losing everything they worked hard to achieve. Their freedom and career plans are all at stake.
With this critical scenario in mind, you may want to retain the very best team of criminal defense lawyers to protect your child’s future. If you or a loved one is a student at LDSBC and facing criminal charges, you need a strong defense. Attorney Darwin Overson is compassionate and will fight for the rights of your son or daughter. Call (801) 895-3142 to discuss the details of your case. The law office of Darwin Overson offers free and confidential legal consultation.
Types of Criminal Defense Lawsuits We Handle for Students
Students can face charges for any crime. However, age and circumstances are typically different than for older criminal defendants. The student’s age can complicate criminal defense. Some students are still considered minors or will reach majority age during pending criminal proceedings. Moreover, the legal representation of students facing criminal charges can be complicated when the college begins an investigation or disciplinary proceedings against the student.
Juvenile Crimes Defense
A juvenile is someone who is under the age of 18. If your son or daughter attends LDS, he or she may be 17 years old. At this age, they will be considered a juvenile criminal defendant. The procedures governing juvenile cases are different than for the alleged offenses committed by adults.
Utah’s juvenile justice is unique in that juvenile courts are civil, not criminal. However, depending on the circumstances of the crime, there are instances when juveniles are tried as adults in Utah. If this is the case, Utah’s Serious Youth Offender Law governs the situation. Utah’s juvenile justice system is designed with a focus on rehabilitation and treatment. Our skilled team of attorneys works with professionals and family members to ensure that the student receives all possible support.
Criminal Defense of Students
Whether the criminal charge against the student is an infraction, a misdemeanor or a felony, multiple issues can arise when it comes to criminal defense of students. Any criminal charge that will go into the student’s record can have a long-term impact on his or her background.
Charges in Utah can be dropped at any stage of a case. Charges can be dismissed after being filed. There are multiple reasons judges may decide to drop or dismiss charges. Sometimes the victim asks for charges to be dropped. Alternatively, the evidence might not support the charges, or there might be an agreement with the prosecuting attorney. You need a team of attorneys who will fight aggressively to prevent the criminal charges from having a grave impact on the student’s future.
Legal Process for Students Facing Criminal Charges
Any time criminal charges are filed against a student, there are consequences at their academic institution. Colleges and universities are not required to guarantee constitutional protections in the same way as criminal courts. For that reason, our legal representation sometimes has to be comprehensive to protect the best interests of the student when dealing with unscrupulous school officials. School officials are not always familiar with the constitutional protections that students deserve, or they don’t seek the full facts because they don’t have to. However, even under the lax legal standard for disciplinary proceedings in academic institutions, there are protections a lawyer is best qualified to secure.
Moreover, when the college begins a disciplinary process based on the same events supporting the criminal charges, it’s of vital importance to have a skilled attorney representing you. Because colleges and universities can design their methods of seeking information, having an attorney at your side reviewing material gathered by school officials can be helpful, especially if the intended use is to enter it as “evidence” against the student at the criminal trial. An attorney can challenge the evidence obtained in violation of criminal procedural and constitutional guarantees. A lawyer can also demand access to witness’ statements and other information used against the student.
Punishments and Disciplinary Proceedings for Students at LDSBC
A cursory look at the LDSBC code of conduct regarding disciplinary proceedings is concerning for students facing criminal charges. A student charged with a crime may be subject to suspension on an interim basis. Also, the school can begin its investigation while there are pending civil or criminal proceedings. This investigation may reach a determination inconsistent with the outcome of the other proceedings and take actions accordingly. These are some of the consequences a student arrested and charged with a crime may face:
- A hold on registration
- Denial of future re-admission and graduation
- Punishments irrespective of whether student participates in the investigation or discloses relevant information
Call a Criminal Defense Attorney for LDS Business College Students
A criminal conviction can hurt the entire career of a student. This risk is particularly the case for LDS students, who can lose all they have worked for to get to college. Attorney Darwin Overson is eminently qualified to represent LDS students facing criminal charges. With his decades of criminal defense experience and his dedication to helping students who find themselves in the most precarious of circumstances, Darwin brings compassion and dedication to his legal representation. To arrange a free and confidential consultation, call (801) 758-2287. Attorney Darwin Overson can make visits at holding centers and jails.
