In April of 2024, the Department of Education approved New Title IX rules, which are scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2024. Our firm is closely monitoring ongoing challenges to these new rules in court, and is working hard to provide you the most up-to-date information. Click here to learn about the current state of Title IX and how we can help if you are facing accusations.
If you're a student at a college or university in Washington DC and you're facing a Title IX hearing, it's important to take necessary steps well in advance of the Title IX hearing itself. At a point in time during the course of the Title IX case, your school will prepare an investigation report. Prior to the report being finalized, it's necessary that it be responded to as strongly and as effectively as possible. All relevant documentation, information and evidence needs to be incorporated into the report at a minimum.
For example, relevant text messages, social media posts, pictures, videos, phone logs, witness statements, forensic evaluation, a polygraph examination, a toxicology report if consent is an issue. The reason the report needs to be as strong as possible is because once finalized it's presented to the hearing panel. The panel reviews it in advance of the hearing itself taking place and has a strong sense before the hearing even takes place.
Attacking the accuser's credibility is key throughout a Title IX case, especially at a hearing. Questions would have to be prepared for the accuser and the accuser's witnesses. An opening and closing statement would have to be prepared for the accused. Potential pitfalls and missteps would have to be kept in mind, and the accused witnesses would have to bear that in mind so that those are avoided at all costs. During a Title IX hearing, a Title IX hearing panel itself would have to be considered for potential bias and conflict. An experienced attorney advisor can help throughout the process, especially during a Title IX hearing.
