Being accused of academic dishonesty or more serious issues like assault or sexual assault on campus could mean the end of your academic career. Fortunately, colleges in Utah are generally required to give students due process before expelling them or issuing extreme disciplinary penalties like academic probation or expulsion. If you were accused of serious code of conduct violations at Broadview University, you may be entitled to a disciplinary hearing where you can take advantage of the services of an experienced disciplinary hearing lawyer to help protect you from expulsion.
If you are a Broadview University student accused of serious violations, contact Overson Law today to seek help from our experienced attorneys. Our disciplinary hearing lawyers for Broadview University students work in West Jordan and Salt Lake City fighting to protect our clients from charges both for university code of conduct violations and criminal charges. For a free legal consultation, call our law offices today at (801) 758-2287.
Due Process and Student Rights at College Disciplinary Hearings in Utah
Students accused of serious academic or non-academic code violations can face academic sanctions such as probation or expulsion. If you were accused of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, or cheating, you lose your chance to finish your degree. If you were accused of serious criminal violations or misconduct that violate the code of conduct, you could be expelled and face additional charges in court. In any case, you have rights to be protected, and there are processes schools must follow before they can take disciplinary action against you.
In most cases, you are entitled to notice and a chance to speak in your own defense for any disciplinary hearing. Notice of the hearing gives you time to meet with a lawyer and plan your defense strategy rather than facing “trial by ambush.” The opportunity to respond to the accusations usually gives you a chance to cross-examine the school’s witnesses and evidence, a chance to present your own witnesses and evidence, and a chance to make opening and closing statements to the panel adjudicating your hearing.
In most cases, you are entitled to have an “advisor” represent you. This person does not need to speak on your behalf, and they do not need to be an attorney, but having an attorney speak for you is probably the best strategy in most cases. Your attorney can advise you on any questions, sitting with you throughout most of the hearing. Your lawyer can also make your opening and closing statements on your behalf, cross-examine the school’s witnesses, and present witnesses and evidence in your defense.
Hiring a Lawyer for Disciplinary Hearings at Utah Colleges
While the advisor you bring to your hearing could be a parent or some other kind of advocate, having an attorney represent you during the hearing can be a vital step in keeping your enrollment status and preventing expulsion. Our academic disciplinary hearing lawyers have decades of experience handling witnesses, evidence, and statements during hearings, not only in academic hearings, but also in criminal cases.
Our experience can work to help you in your case. Not only are our attorneys experienced at presenting important information in limited time periods, but we are experienced at using the format of a hearing to get the point across and help keep our clients from facing penalties. Our attorneys can get to the heart of the matter in the limited time you have, challenging evidence and witnesses to protect your rights.
Having an attorney represent you also puts some distance between you and the issue at hand. Many people get flustered or angry when accused of misconduct, which can make it harder for them to present their case clearly or move through the evidence without getting upset. An attorney experienced at advocating for their clients can present your case calmly, getting the panel the information they need to make a decision in your favor.
In addition to academic charges, you could also face criminal charges for some types of misconduct. While you are unlikely to face criminal charges for cheating on a test, you could face criminal penalties for stealing from the school, being caught with drugs in classroom buildings, or sexually assaulting another student or a staff member at the school. In these cases, you could face potential jail time and criminal fines on top of the expulsion. Our experienced attorneys can also represent you in your criminal case, working to keep you out of jail and free from harsh penalties.
Examples of Academic Code of Conduct Violations
Codes of conduct at universities typically include rules for academic and non-academic conduct. Academic conduct violations typically include cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty. If you commit any of these acts, you could face penalties including having to repeat a class or being put on academic probation – or you could be expelled. Other code of conduct violations deal with your personal actions and your fitness to represent the school as a student and future graduate. These code of conduct violations usually prevent students from committing certain violations or criminal acts on campus or while attending the school. The most common non-academic violations for college students involve things like underage alcohol possession, drug possession, assault, sexual assault, and theft.
Our Attorneys for Broadview University Disciplinary Hearings Offer Free Consultations
If you or a loved one was charged with a code of conduct violation that will involve a disciplinary hearing, it is important to consider hiring an attorney for your case. A lawyer can work to keep you from being expelled by challenging the evidence against you and presenting a strong case in your defense. Your lawyer can also help fight any criminal charges you face for the same conduct, hopefully keeping you out of jail and free from harsh fines. For a free legal consultation on your case, call our Broadview University disciplinary hearing lawyers at Overson Law today at (801) 758-2287.
