If you're a student at a college or university in Iowa and you're facing a Title IX hearing, many steps have to be taken well in advance of the hearing itself. Prior to the hearing, the school will present an investigation report.
Prior to it being finalized, the investigation report has to be responded to with all necessary documentation, information and evidence. It may include text messages and social media posts between the parties, witness statements, a toxicology report if consent is an issue, a forensic evaluation.
Everything needs to be responded to effectively because once the investigation report is finalized, it's presented to the hearing panel. The hearing panel itself where the strong sense of the case before the hearing even takes place. For the hearing itself, at a minimum, an opening and closing statement would have to be prepared. Questions would have to be prepared for all parties to testify, the accuser or the accused, their witnesses, any expert witnesses. The hearing panel itself would have to be considered for bias or conflict of interest.
Many steps have to be taken well in advance of the hearing and at the hearing to ensure a fair and favorable outcome at a Title IX hearing.
