The average attorney doesn't understand what you've been through at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. They don't know what a university investigation is like. They've probably never been through a university hearing. They may not even recognize just how much is at stake for you in a disciplinary misconduct case.
You have one last chance to salvage your career at UWI-Milwaukee – one last chance to salvage your professional future. The Wisconsin legislature gives you the right to appeal your case. Don't try to handle the situation on your own, and don't trust your case to a local or family attorney. Make sure you have someone in your corner who knows what you're up against.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was founded specifically to help students respond to university misconduct charges, and we've helped hundreds of students protect their rights. We know UWI-Milwaukee processes and procedures, including what's involved in filing an appeal.
We can help you challenge your responsible (guilty) outcome, but you must act quickly. UWI-Milwaukee gives you just fourteen days to file your appeal. That's not a lot of time. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686, or use our online questionnaire to tell us more about your situation.
Filing an Appeal at UWI-Milwaukee
In terms of the process itself, there's not a lot involved in filing a UWI-Milwaukee appeal. You've got to write the appeal itself, of course. Other than that, though, you simply submit it and wait for a decision.
Nevertheless, an appeal can be a tricky procedure. It requires nothing less than a complete shift in your thinking about your case. If you can't make that shift, you have little chance of success.
- As a starting point, you must accept that you've been found responsible for a misconduct offense. If you continue to argue for your innocence and continue to deny your responsibility, you'll miss the point of the appeal. An appeal is not a chance to reargue your case. It's a very specific procedure meant to serve as a check on the system--one last chance to ensure you were treated fairly by the process.
- Instead of arguing your innocence, your job at this point in the proceedings is to explain why you were denied the opportunity to make your full case. There are essentially three possibilities:
- The hearing outcome isn't supported by the preponderance of the evidence.
- A procedural error occurred.
- The decision was based on elements proscribed by state or federal law.
- You can argue that the hearing outcome was not based on a preponderance of evidence, as university policy requires.
- The argument has shifted; so has the burden in the case. Initially, you were the respondent (the accused). You had the presumption of innocence in your favor, and the university needed to provide enough evidence to find you responsible. In an appeal, you're making the allegation. The university is now the respondent, and you bear the burden of providing the evidence.
- A single administrative official is responsible for deciding your appeal. They'll do so based on the content of your written appeal. You will not have a chance to address them directly, explain your arguments, or examine witnesses.
- Unless you've uncovered new evidence since the hearing, your arguments must all rely on the record of the hearing. Remember that you aren't arguing for your innocence. You are arguing that you deserve another opportunity to argue for your innocence.
- In most cases, the appeal officer cannot overturn a hearing outcome. The best possible result of an appeal is a second chance to make your case at a hearing.
Keep in mind that you aren't on your own this time around. Your Lento Law Firm attorney will guide you through every step of the appeals process. They'll work closely with you to review the record of your case and identify any possible grounds for appeal. They'll also draft the appeal itself and make sure it's submitted on time. Most importantly, they'll monitor everything that happens and hold the university responsible for providing you with all your due process rights.
The Stakes
It's difficult to deny the fact that you face an uphill battle anytime you're engaged in an appeal. It's a battle you simply must fight, though.
For one thing, the alternatives are too severe to accept. If you've been dismissed by UWI-Milwaukee, it means complete separation from the university. And you can't just transfer somewhere else. The record of your offense will almost certainly ensure that. That means heading out onto the job market without a degree.
Suspension is only marginally better. You can return to the university, but many students don't. It's hard coming back once you've been away, and you may have lost your financial aid as a result of your offense. Plus, even if you do manage to earn a degree, you won't escape that black mark on your record. A misconduct offense can weigh heavily on a job application.
The good news is that you can absolutely win your appeal, whatever the odds against you. Appeals are meant to correct mistakes in the process, and there's every possibility someone made a mistake in your case. Faculty, students, and administrators are smart, but they're not trained in judicial procedures, and they often get things wrong. When they do, you have every right to demand justice. We're here to help you do that.
Using the OGC
In fact, even if you should lose your appeal, there may be a way we can help you get a fair settlement.
Colleges and universities like UWI-Milwaukee all maintain an Office of General Counsel. These are attorneys hired to provide the school with advice on all legal issues. Their opinions carry enormous weight, especially where issues of judicial procedure are involved.
The Lento Law Firm has carefully cultivated relationships with the OGC at schools around the country. Even if we don't know the attorneys who work for your school, we can often call on OGC directly and ask them to consider a client's circumstances. In the past, we've had success convincing school administrators to lessen sanctions, expunge records, and even overturn hearing outcomes.
Only we can provide this service, though, because only we are focused so intently on university cases and student defenses.
You're Not Alone in This Fight
Whether you're entirely innocent or simply looking to get fair treatment from UWI-Milwaukee, 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.
