An appeal is your last chance to salvage your Cal State – Northridge education. It may very well be your last chance at a college degree. You cannot afford to take it lightly.
We're not sure why you chose to go it alone during your original investigation and hearing. CSUN gives students the right to select an attorney to advise them, but maybe you didn't think it would be all that difficult defending yourself, or maybe you were convinced any sanctions you received would be light. Maybe you simply thought your innocence would protect you.
Whatever the reason, you're here now, and the Lento Law Firm is always on your side. Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights. We've helped hundreds of students defend themselves from every type of misconduct charge. We know Cal State–Northridge's administrative and judicial policies, including how appeals work, and we can show you how to use processes and procedures to your benefit.
It's important you contact us immediately, though. Cal State - --Northridge gives you just ten business days to file your appeal. That's not a lot of time to get your materials together. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686, or use our online questionnaire to tell us more about your situation.
The Appeals Process at Cal State - Northridge
The appeals process at CSUN isn't particularly complicated. It's a good thing since you have just ten days to put yours together. The real difficulty is in adjusting your thinking about your defense. You're in a new phase of your case, and the old rules won't work this time around.
- You've been found responsible for (guilty of) an offense. We know—that probably feels pretty obvious to you. That single fact radically alters the playing field, though. Up to this point, CSUN was obligated to presume you innocent ("Not Responsible"). "Innocent until proven guilty" isn't just a label. This means that the university bore the burden of proof in the case. It had to provide a "preponderance of evidence" to convince decision-makers of your guilt. Now, however, the burden is on you. The "presumption" is that the university got things right in your case. It's entirely up to you to prove otherwise.
- You cannot simply re-argue your original case. That's not how appeals work. You're trying to prove that you didn't get a fair chance to defend yourself the first time around, and CSUN only accepts four possible arguments.
- The university failed to follow its own investigative and adjudicative procedures.
- You have uncovered new evidence since the hearing that might have altered the case outcome.
- The case outcome is not supported by the evidence.
- The sanction the university has imposed is disproportionate to the nature of your offense.
- All case reviews are conducted by the university's Vice-Chancellor. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to make your case in person. There are no hearings. That means you cannot use your voice as a persuasive tool. Your entire case must be contained in a written document, and your writing must be especially clear and compelling.
- Your choice of evidence is likewise limited. In most instances, you must rely on the record of the original hearing. You can present new evidence, but only as a means of arguing you deserve a new hearing. Remember- at this point, you are not arguing for your innocence; you deserve another chance to argue for your innocence.
- The best case scenario is the opportunity to start your case over again. The Vice-Chancellor has just three options: they can affirm the original hearing outcome; they can alter the terms of your sanction, or they can mandate a new hearing. In no event can they simply overturn the original hearing outcome.
If you can wrap your mind around how your case has changed, the appeal itself involves just two simple steps.
First, you and your Lento Law Firm attorney will go over your case with a fine-toothed comb, paying particular attention to the record of the original hearing. If there are grounds for an appeal, you can be certain your attorney will find them.
Then, they'll refine your best arguments, tie those arguments to clear evidence from the record, and draft the appeal itself. Of course, they'll also make sure this appeal is filed in a timely manner, within CSUN's deadline.
What's at Stake
Plenty of students give up their cases once they receive that initial “Responsible” verdict. They're worn out from trying to keep up with classes while participating in an investigation and putting together a hearing defense.
You owe it to yourself to continue the fight, though.
Keep in mind that if you don't appeal, your career at Cal State–Northridge is over. That means the end of all the academic progress you've made to this point. It means the end of the community of friends and mentors you've created. It probably also means you'll be heading out onto the job market without a degree.
Both suspension and dismissal include transcript notations describing your offense. You can't simply transfer to another school with a notation like that on your record. You can, of course, return to the university if you've "only" been suspended. Many students don't, though. Once you've been away from school for any length of time, it can be tough making yourself get up for eight am classes again. You may also have lost your financial aid as a result of your offense. In short, your very best option at this point is to fight the hearing outcome.
And while an appeal can be a daunting process, make no mistake: you can still win your case. You didn't face a law school-trained prosecutor during your original hearing. Your case wasn't decided by a learned judge. Faculty, students, and administrators run campus justice, and as you might expect, they make a lot of mistakes. You deserve justice, even in the face of mistakes, and the appeals process at CSUN exists to provide you with that justice.
You also have a secret weapon this time around that you didn't have before—a Lento Law Firm attorney. We spend every day fighting for student justice. We've also developed some pretty important relationships with Offices of General Counsel—attorneys hired by colleges and universities to advise them on legal affairs. Those relationships provide us with unique insight into how campus cases work, and we're prepared to use every resource at our disposal to ensure justice is done in your case.
Fight for Your Future
Whether you're entirely innocent or you're simply looking to get fair treatment from Cal State-Northridge, you owe it to yourself to continue the fight. We're here and ready to help. We'll guide you through the entire appeals process, make sure you put forward your very strongest arguments, and guarantee the university respects your rights.
As we said in the beginning, though, you cannot afford to wait. There are deadlines for filing your appeal. Get started now. Contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
