There’s only one reason students find their way to this page. You’ve been found responsible for a serious disciplinary offense at Santa Fe College, and you’re facing a serious sanction—probably suspension or dismissal. You tried handling your case alone during the investigation and hearing. The appeal, though, is your very last chance at justice, and you want to make sure you have the best possible help on your side before you file. That’s good thinking. Most students don’t really understand how appeals work, and that lack of knowledge can doom an appeal before it even begins.

The good news is that you’ve come to the right place. The LLF National Law Firm has developed a national reputation as the premier student defense firm in the country. Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights, and we not only understand the situation, but we can also show you how to use SFC processes and procedures to your advantage. We’re on your side no matter what, and you can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to get you the best possible resolution to your case.

We’ll work hard on your behalf, but it’s important you contact us quickly. The window for filing your appeal is just five instructional days, and there’s a lot to be done. Call the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686, or use our online questionnaire to tell us more about your situation.

The Content of Your Appeal

As we mentioned, the most important thing you can do in filing an SFC appeal is to learn everything you can about exactly what an appeal is.

Contrary to what most people believe, an appeal is not a second chance to prove your innocence. You were found “responsible” (guilty) at your hearing, and an appeal can’t change that, at least on its own. In fact, if you try to argue your innocence in your appeal, SFC will toss it without even bothering to read it.

The point of an appeal is to consider whether the college acted appropriately in your case—did it follow its own procedures, and did you get a fair opportunity to defend yourself? So instead of arguing over your innocence, you’ll argue over how you were treated.

  • You might argue, for instance, that SFC failed to respect your due process rights. Maybe the Conduct Official in charge of your case forgot to provide you with notice of the charges. Maybe the Hearing Board refused to hear a piece of evidence unfairly. Whatever the case, you deserve another chance to present your defense under fair circumstances at a new hearing.
  • You can also argue that the decision in your case was not based on the evidence in the case. This could mean decision-makers allowed their own biases to influence their decisions, or it could mean they fundamentally misunderstood the nature of the legal standard “preponderance of the evidence.” Again, you deserve a new hearing.
  • You can argue that you didn’t have all the evidence because some important piece of evidence hadn’t yet come to light. It has been discovered since the hearing, and you deserve an opportunity to present it.
  • Finally, you can argue that the sanction imposed in your case is disproportionate to the nature of your offense. In these situations, you must accept responsibility for the offense, but you should be eligible for a more appropriate punishment.

Appeals are different from hearings in other ways as well. For starters, there is no hearing. You won’t get the chance to address decision-makers directly or explain any of your evidence.

That evidence must come from the record of your hearing. Again, you’re not arguing over your innocence, so “proof” of your innocence is irrelevant.

And you must have evidence. When you were the accused, you were entitled to the presumption of innocence. You may have had some evidence to offer at your hearing, but you didn’t need it. SFC bore the “burden” of overcoming your presumption. Now you’re the accuser rather than the accused. The university is presumed to have treated you fairly, and you’ll need a preponderance of evidence to overcome that presumption.

Remember, though, that you’re not alone this time around. You have the LLF National Law Firm on your side. The moment you contact us, we’ll begin reviewing your case, looking for any possible “grounds” for appeal. In fact, it’s not uncommon for colleges and universities to make mistakes in these cases. They’re set up for education, not jurisprudence. Once we find those grounds, we’ll put your appeal together, making sure that it’s absolutely clear and absolutely compelling.

Filing Your Appeal

Writing your appeal is the first step of the process, but you also need to file it correctly.

  • The first step in this process is to deliver your appeal to the SFC Conduct Officer. Remember, you must do this within the five-day deadline.
  • The Conduct Officer then forwards your appeal to the college’s Appellate Body for review.
  • Again, the Appellate Body considers your appeal in a closed-door session.
  • This Body then has the option of affirming the original decision or modifying that decision in whole or in part.

Beyond Your Appeal

The Appellate Body’s decision in your case is final in the context of the SFC disciplinary system. However, you do have one more option before walking away from your case. You can approach the SFC administration directly and ask them to intervene in your case.

This process can be just as difficult as filing an appeal, though. College presidents don’t like to get involved in the disciplinary system. It sets a bad precedent and suggests to other students that they might do the same. The only way to get around this reticence is to use some type of connection, some well-placed official who can advocate on your behalf.

The LLF National Law Firm maintains relationships with Offices of General Counsel around the country. These OGC are central figures on campus. They provide the school with legal advice on a range of subjects, and if they recommend that the school’s president talk to you, you can virtually guarantee that will happen. In the past, we’ve convinced schools to expunge transcripts, reduce sanctions, and even dismiss cases altogether.

Only the LLF National Law Firm offers this service, though, because only we work so extensively in the field of student defense.

How Can the LLF National Law Firm Help With Your Case?

Whether you’re entirely innocent or simply looking to get fair treatment from Santa Fe College, you owe it to yourself to continue the fight. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team is here and ready to help. We’ll guide you through the entire appeals process, make sure your case is airtight, 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 LLF National Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.

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