WHAT YOU SHOULD DO…
What should you do if get a notice saying you’re being charged with violation of your college/university disciplinary code or academic code?
- Don’t talk about it with: police, campus police, school administrators, friends, or classmates.
- Jump on it. Get ahead of the curve by calling an attorney first. We will help you assess how big a problem it is or isn’t. We’ll also guide you on how best to use student advocates that may be assigned to you.
- Don’t wait and assume this won’t be a problem. Any violation, no matter how minor is a problem. How big of a problem depends on how you handle it, whether you’ve had any previous violations, and what kind of violation it is.
What should you do if you are stopped or arrested by the police?
- Be polite. Don’t argue about what happened but don’t agree with the police about anything they say happened. Just ask if you are free to go. If you’re not then you need to ask for a lawyer.
What should you do if you are offered a disciplinary conference versus a hearing?
- In most cases, we will recommend one over the other so you need to discuss it with us. But whatever you do, don’t go ahead and have the conference or hearing. A student defense lawyer can almost always postpone the conference or hearing so there is more time to investigate and pick the best plan for your situation. Students who just dive in “to get it over with” usually end up seeking advice about how to appeal their case. Appeals are very hard to win. Don’t put yourself in that position.
