If you're looking to file an appeal at Northwestern University, it means you've already been through an investigation and maybe a hearing as well. Maybe you didn't take those processes as seriously as you should have. You didn't bother gathering evidence, and you didn't prepare questions for witnesses ahead of time. It didn't cross your mind to hire an attorney. You figured, at worst, you'd get a slap on the wrist. Instead, you got a serious sanction—suspension or dismissal. You only just found out that those come with transcript notations that can follow you around for the rest of your life. In other words, you can't just transfer your way out of this problem.
The good news is that you've realized you need help. Before you file an appeal, you want to make sure you've made it as strong as possible. The even better news is that you found us. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was created to...well, defend students. We're defense attorneys, but we're more than defense attorneys. We work specifically in the field of education law, and we're dedicated to getting students the justice they deserve. And because we work with so many students every year, we know how campus judicial systems like Northwestern's work, inside and out, including how to put together strong appeals.
It's crucial, though, that you act quickly. Northwestern gives you just ten days to file an appeal once you've been issued a sanction. That's not a lot of time to build your case. Don't wait. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686, or use our online questionnaire to tell us a little about your case.
The Appeals Process at Northwestern
Accused students at Northwestern aren't always given a hearing. Nevertheless, they have a number of important due process rights. These are in place to make sure you're treated fairly, and that justice is done. So, for example, you were initially treated as "Not Responsible" or innocent. You were allowed to submit evidence to investigators, to suggest witnesses they might interview, and to suggest what questions they might ask those witnesses. You were allowed to select an advisor to accompany you to investigative meetings, and Northwestern let you choose an attorney to fill that role.
Unfortunately, you've used up a lot of your due process rights at this point. You still have one valuable right, though: the right to appeal the hearing outcome. At this point, that represents your best chance to get your academic career at Northwestern back on track.
You should be aware, though, that an appeal isn't a do-over. Unless you win your appeal, you don't get a new investigation--a new chance to make arguments or offer evidence. And winning won't be easy. As a starting point, you must have "grounds" for an appeal. At Northwestern, there are only three possible grounds.
- New information has come to light that wasn't available during the original investigation, but that has some bearing on the outcome.
- Procedural errors occurred in your case, which could have affected the outcome.
- The outcome is “manifestly contrary” to the weight of the evidence.
Once you have grounds for an appeal, you have other hurdles to surmount.
- You aren't entitled to a presumption of innocence anymore. In fact, the Northwestern Appellate Panel will start from the premise that you are guilty because you've been found Responsible (guilty) by an investigator or a hearing panel.
- You don't have the right to make a presentation or to visit with the Appellate Panel. Decision-makers won't have the benefit of your voice. They won't be able to connect their decisions to a real person and think about the impact their sanctions might have on that real person.
- Similarly, you won't be allowed to offer evidence or suggest witnesses. In fact, unless you have new evidence, the Appellate Panel is limited to considering the record of the investigation or hearing and whatever information you've included in your appeal.
None of these hurdles should dissuade you from appealing. Universities can and do make mistakes. If you're innocent, or you believe that the sanction you've been given is unfair, you should never simply accept your fate.
You do need to recognize, though, that you can't deal with all of these challenges on your own. You need help. The Lento Law Firm has experience drafting hundreds of appeals for students in all types of cases. We know the Northwestern judicial system. We know what the Appellate Panel will look for in your evidence and documents and how to make you look your very best on paper.
One Final Option: Direct Negotiation
Should you lose your appeal, there is another option, though it comes with its own set of challenges. You can approach Northwestern's governing administration directly and ask the university to reconsider your case. You need two things, though:
- Some means of convincing administrators to talk with you in the first place;
- A compelling reason why negotiating with you would be in the university's best interest.
Your Lento Law Firm attorney will work with you to develop the strongest possible arguments in your case. In addition, though, we're used to talking with college faculty and administrators. We do it every day. We also have relationships with a number of attorneys across the country who serve as Office of General Counsel for schools like Northwestern. The role of the Office of General Counsel is to provide universities with legal advice, and they can be instrumental in shaping how schools respond to student disciplinary issues. These relationships have given us unique insight into what motivates a university's administration.
This kind of approach is never option one. However, we have sometimes been able to work out deals for our clients that allow them to graduate or, at a minimum, to transfer to other schools without worrying about negative transcript notations.
Fight For Your Future
We won't promise you something we can't deliver. We cannot guarantee you that we'll win your case. No one can. At this point, you are in a difficult situation with limited options. Here's what we can promise you, though. No one gives you a better chance of winning 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 for your benefit.
You cannot afford to wait, though. Northwestern gives you just ten days to file your appeal. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
