How did you get here, exactly? Let's review.
It all started with an allegation of misconduct. It could have been academic, disciplinary, or sexual misconduct. It could have been the result of a misunderstanding or a false accusation. It could even be that you did commit some form of misconduct, though that certainly doesn't mean you deserve the sanction you've wound up with.
The school conducted an investigation, and then there was a hearing. You didn't hire an attorney. Maybe you didn't want to get your parents involved, or you didn't think it was likely you'd be found Responsible (guilty). Or, maybe you hired an attorney, but they didn't know how the Georgetown judicial system worked, and they weren't able to use that system to your best advantage.
Now, here you are, facing a serious sanction, maybe even dismissal. You have one chance left: an appeal. Use that chance wisely.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are defense attorneys, but they're not like regular defense attorneys. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was founded specifically to handle student defenses. The Lento Law Firm attorneys are comfortable in a courtroom, but they're also comfortable in a campus judicial hearing. They know education law, but they also know how the Georgetown system operates. Most importantly, they're committed to student rights and to getting students like you the best possible resolutions to their cases.
What can we do for you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or use our online questionnaire to tell us more about your case. Don't wait, though. Georgetown gives you just seven days to file an appeal. We need to start now.
The Appeals Process at Georgetown University
The good news is that Georgetown provides accused students with many important due process rights. That makes sense given how important the law school is to the university.
Georgetown didn't just decide to dismiss you or sanction you in some way. You were subject to a full investigation. Then, you had the chance to defend yourself at a full hearing. You were treated as “Not Responsible” until you were proven “Responsible.” In courtroom jargon, you were “innocent until proven guilty.” You also had a chance to review all the evidence against you, and Georgetown allowed you to choose an advisor to help you with your case.
One of those due process rights is the right to an appeal. It means you still have one more chance to protest your innocence or argue about the severity of your sanction.
The bad news is that you're facing a much more daunting process than you were before. Your first problem is establishing "grounds" for appeal. You don't get to argue over the outcome of your hearing just because you happen to dislike that outcome. You must have a reason for your appeal (grounds), and that reason must have something to do with the miscarriage of justice. Georgetown acknowledges only three grounds for appeal
- Some procedural errors occurred that might have influenced the outcome of the case.
- New information that wasn't known before has come to light and that, again, could have some bearing on the outcome of the case.
- You were issued a sanction that is “substantially” disproportionate to the nature of your offense.
Establishing grounds is a high barrier, but it's not the only one you face.
- You no longer have a lot of the rights you had when you were going through the investigation and hearing phases of your case. Of special note, you are no longer presumed innocent. In fact, the findings from the hearing are considered to have been established. It is now up to you to prove that your case deserves a second look.
- You will not have the opportunity to argue your case before the Appeals Committee. Decisions are based exclusively on the record of the hearing and the content of your appeal. This can put you at a disadvantage since it's usually easier for decision-makers to believe Respondents when they can see them and talk to them.
This doesn't mean all is lost. You still have the right to review material from the case. You're still being judged by a committee, and a majority of the committee must vote against you. Just as in the hearing, one of those committee members is a student, so your point of view is represented in the decision.
It is also worth remembering that university hearing panels can and do make mistakes. You weren't tried by a seasoned prosecutor, and you weren't found guilty by a learned judge. You likely appeared before an administrator, a professor or two, and a student.
Without question, though, your back is against the wall. You can't afford to take chances at this point. You can't afford to handle your case by yourself, and you can't afford to hire an attorney with no experience representing students. You need someone from the Lento Law Firm. You need someone who is familiar with Georgetown rules and procedures, who can help you develop the strongest possible grounds for your appeal, who knows what counts as the most powerful evidence, and who has previously drafted hundreds of appeals in all types of student cases. A Lento Law Firm attorney gives you your best possible chance at a positive outcome.
Fight For Your Future
Let's be clear: we cannot promise to win your case. No one can. The truth is that, at this point, you are in a difficult situation with limited options. You don't have a lot of rights left to you, and you've already been found "Responsible" for an offense.
Here's what we can promise you, though. No one gives you a better chance of winning your appeal than the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. No one knows the system the way we do, and no one is better positioned to leverage that system to your benefit.
You cannot afford to wait, though. The window for filing your appeal at Georgetown is just seven days. That's not a lot of time to build your defense. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
