Title IX Defense
Campus Sexual Assault Attorney & Title IX Defense Lawyer
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX is a federal law that forbids sexual discrimination in educational institutions. Originally passed in 1972, this law has slowly evolved to cover a wide range of conduct and behavior at educational institutions. In particular, sexual misconduct claims fall under the Title IX purview.
Sexual Misconduct
Sexual misconduct applies to a lengthy list of infractions. Criminal acts such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking will be investigated and prosecuted by college campuses by their Title IX office. An investigator for the school will gather evidence and interview witnesses regarding the alleged conduct. Often, these Title IX investigations will be conducted side by side with local law enforcement for potential criminal charges. If you are a target of sexual misconduct or a campus sexual assault investigation it is crucial that you contact an attorney. In particular, a college sexual assault defense lawyer can be crucial to saving your career and liberty.
Sexual misconduct can also include sexual gender-based harassment such as slurs, taunts, name-calling, or threats based on a student’s sex. A campus sexual assault lawyer can help identify conduct that would fit under these categories.
Educational institutions must ensure that all students are safe and protected from sexual misconduct. In fact, schools that ignore or are indifferent to sexual misconduct on campus will be subject to civil and even criminal penalties. However, the process of rooting out predators and safeguarding the school has had some unfortunate consequences.
Unfair Procedures in Title IX Process
The Title IX process can be extremely prejudicial against the accused. Standards like due process, proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and the right to counsel are often trampled upon during a Title IX investigation. Title IX investigations are conducted by trained and experienced investigators. Title IX officers make their living investigating and prosecuting young men and women. The target of an investigation is usually caught completely off guard when confronted by the allegations. They are usually not told they can speak with an attorney before being interrogated. Teenagers are targeted and questioned by experienced professionals and the results are predictably tragic. Often, these students do not realize a college sexual assault defense lawyer can fight back against these claims. There is added pressure for the college come down hard on allegations of sexual misconduct because of the #metoo movement. Schools will want to appear tough on the accused and will fear backlash if they find the evidence is not sufficient or even fabricated. In short, Title IX groups are motivated to convict you no matter the conduct or the evidence.
If you are facing a Title IX allegation you need a skilled trial lawyer with experience battling Title IX cases. Contract our firm now to discuss your case.
