Defending Accused Students at Colleges & Universities

If you or a loved one is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, academic dishonesty, or student discipline on campus, we can help. At E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, we regularly represent college students in Title IX and other disciplinary proceedings at colleges and universities throughout Upstate New York and beyond.

When young people go off to college or university, it is a time of new-found freedom, exploration and nearly unbounded opportunities. Students are not only working to attain an education, but to expand their social world and to meet new people and to make new friends.

Sometimes, with this sudden new freedom, mistakes can happen.

Sometimes students are falsely accused because the accuser may regret an encounter with another student or the accuser may have a personal agenda. Other times students are wrongly accused as a result of a bureaucratic failure by the school. No matter how an allegation arises, when a young person’s future is on the line, such allegations should not be taken lightly. At E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, we believe that regardless of where an accusation came from, no allegation against a student should ever ruin the rest of that student’s life. Tragically, being found responsible in a college disciplinary matter can have long-lasting or even permanent implications for a student’s educational and professional life.

In Title IX campus sexual misconduct cases, a negative determination will result in a permanent notation on a student’s transcript, signaling to all, including future employers and graduate schools, that the student is a sexual abuser. Findings of academic dishonesty or student misconduct, even if not appearing on a transcript, can haunt a student who would like to go on to pursue an advanced degree or professional license.

Whether a student is facing suspension, expulsion, or even the possibility of criminal charges as the result of allegations at his or her school, at E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy we aggressively defend students and seek to eliminate or minimize the potential consequences of the college disciplinary process. 

Contact us today at (518) 284-3183 to learn more about your legal options.

Experience in College and University Disciplinary Matters

Each college and university has its own rules governing disciplinary matters. These rules vary slightly from one institution to the next, but they all generally revolve around the same three phases. These are: an investigation, a hearing, and an appeal.

In each of these phases, it is critical for the student to be as prepared and as proactive as possible. Each phase requires a particular strategy, and the factors affecting the student’s decision-making will vary from point to point throughout the process, while also taking into consideration the severity of the accusations and the unique circumstances involved.

Sometimes students make a mistake, leading to a disciplinary action by the college or university. But we have found that in many cases, the “mistake” is not a mistake by our client, the accused student. We have found that, in many cases, the “mistake” is a false or unjust accusation lodged against our clients.

At E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, we regularly represent students in all phases of the academic disciplinary process, and we are often able to negotiate favorable outcomes that avoid the need for a formal hearing. In cases where a hearing is necessary, we provide thorough, vigorous representation throughout the process; and, if a hearing results in an adverse decision, we assist with the formal appeals process, as well.

The types of college and university disciplinary matters that we handle include, but are not limited to:

• Academic dishonesty
• Assault
• Burglary
• Criminal mischief
• Dating violence
• Sexual assault
• Sexual harassment
• Threats
• Trespassing
• Using drugs or alcohol on campus