If you're a student at a college or university at Maine and you're facing a Title IX hearing, many steps have to be taken prior to the hearing itself to maximize the prospect of success. Prior to the hearing, the school will present an investigation report. Before that is finalized, all necessary evidence, documentation, and information needs to be included in that final report. It may include text messages, witness statements, social media posts, photographs, toxicology report, forensic evaluation, polygraph examination. That report, once finalized, is presented to the panel so the hearing panel has a strong sense of the case before the hearing even takes place.
At the hearing itself, all witnesses would need to be prepared. Questions would need to be prepped or prepared for the witnesses, the accuser or the accuser's witnesses, the accused, the accused witnesses, any potential expert witnesses. An opening and closing statement would need to prepared. A party would need to be prepped to be on the lookout for any potential pitfalls or missteps that can take place during the hearing. The hearing panel itself would have to be considered for any bias or conflict of interest. Many steps have to be taken prior to the hearing and at the hearing so that the prospect of success is maximized.
