If the alleged sexual assault occurred on a college campus, you will likely be facing disciplinary proceedings on the university level. These are separate from any criminal charges you might be facing from local law enforcement.
This will start with a letter or notice from the school that you have potentially violated a specific student conduct code.
After you read the letter or notice from the school, the next step should be contacting a college student criminal defense attorney. College campuses are under a lot of pressure to respond quickly and assertively to accusations of sexual assault, and without an attorney working on your behalf, you could end up with a harsh punishment without due process.
If you go through the disciplinary and criminal proceedings and are found guilty of campus sexual assault, you could face the following:
- Suspension
- Expulsion
- Prosecution
- Jail Time
- Registration as a sex offender
It’s very important that you don’t have any communication with your accuser — even if you are innocent and want to clear your name. It is natural to want to defend yourself if you are innocent or apologize for any miscommunication or wrongdoing on your part, but you cannot do either of those things. Communication is not limited to phone calls or knocking on their front door. It also includes text messages and messaging on social media.
What role does Title IX play in campus sexual assault cases?
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that covers rape, harassment and assault on campus under the umbrella of discrimination. Students have been successful in suing colleges and universities for Title IX violations by proving that the schools were indifferent or negligent in allowing the harassment to occur.
Title IX proceedings are separate from code of conduct violations and any other potential criminal charges from law enforcement. Title IX proceedings can impose varying rulings, from restraining orders to even suspension from campus before you are charged with a crime or disciplined for code of conduct violations.
That’s why it’s imperative that you contact an experienced college student criminal defense attorney to help with your case and navigate the tangled web of university disciplinary hearings, Title IX proceedings and criminal cases.
If you or someone you love is accused of sexual assault on campus, don’t jeopardize their future by hesitating to call a defense attorney. Contact DC Student Defense today.