Orangeburg County Student Defense Lawyer

Being a student is supposed to be a fun and educational time in your life. If instead, you are facing criminal charges or allegations of academic misconduct, your life may feel as though it has been turned upside down. A strong defense against these types of allegations can help protect your academic future as well as your constitutional rights.

An experienced Orangeburg County student defense lawyer can defend against criminal charges or allegations of misconduct alleged by your college or university. Your rights in all areas deserve the utmost protection.

Criminal Allegations Against Students

A student can face criminal allegations just like any other defendant. For students, however, this creates unique issues for them as these criminal allegations may also constitute violations of the school’s code of conduct. Most colleges and universities maintain a student code of conduct that forbids criminal activity both on and off campus.

Offenses that students commonly face include, but are not limited to:

Criminal allegations can result in repercussions that include not only criminal penalties, but also the possibility of expulsion or suspension from the student’s school.

Title IX Cases Against South Carolina Students

Title IX is federal legislation that affects all colleges and universities and is designed to create an office that handles sexual discrimination. If a student faces allegations of sexual discrimination in the school, the Title IX office get itself involved in the action. This can involve allegations of:

  • Discrimination based on gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation
  • Rape
  • Sexual assault
  • Criminal sexual conduct
  • Prostitution
  • Date rape

Some of these actions may result in Title IX violations as well as criminal violations under state law. With both types of charges, a student needs a criminal defense lawyer with years of experience protecting student rights.

Defending Against Academic Misconduct Allegations

Colleges and universities take allegations of academic misconduct incredibly seriously. Often, they are overzealous in pursuing these allegations and can jump to conclusions without proper evidence. Academic misconduct allegations can have a serious impact on a student’s academic career.

There are a great variety of examples of academic misconduct a student may face, including:

  • Using cheat sheets
  • Plagiarism
  • Having another student take an exam
  • Using electronics during a test
  • Unacceptable collaboration
  • Lack of proper citations
  • Creating or falsifying data

When a student faces allegations of academic misconduct, it is critical that they get representation to fight back against these allegations. A qualified student defense lawyer knows how to prepare a defense to they types of allegations.

The Burden of Proof

Cases in front of most school disciplinary committees utilize a preponderance of the evidence standard when deciding these types of cases. This is a much lower standard than that used in criminal cases. Due to this, it is even more important to have a competent attorney at the student’s side to prevent bare allegations and insufficient evidence cause expulsion or suspension.

A Student Defense Attorney in Orangeburg County Can Help

If you are a student who faces criminal or school misconduct allegations, you need a skilled attorney in your corner to help protect your interests. Your school career and freedom should not be ruined because of these allegations.

An experienced Orangeburg County student defense lawyer has the years of training needed to help protect your rights. Contact us today.