If you are a student at a college or university in Oklahoma and have been accused of sexual assault or harassment in violation of Title IX, you can find yourself in a difficult position. While Title IX was enacted as a federal civil rights law to ensure everyone got equal access to higher education, regardless of their gender identity, gender, or sexual orientation, in practice it pressures schools to quickly resolve allegations of sexual misconduct on campus. For better or worse, it applies to any university that accepts federal funding, including student aid, making it ubiquitous in Oklahoma.
When you are the one being accused, this can make it seem like the deck is stacked against you, as your college faces the possibility of losing federal funding if it does not comply with Title IX's requirements. Having the option of appealing an adverse outcome is critical.
You Have a Right to Appeal a Title IX Case
If you have been found to have violated Title IX's prohibition of sexual misconduct on an Oklahoma campus, you can appeal the outcome, the penalty, or both. Taking this opportunity is essential to preserving your academic and professional integrity, and can be fruitful because of how inadequate the school hearing process can be for allegations as serious as Title IX violations.
Grounds for Appealing a Title IX Case in Oklahoma
Unfortunately, the right to appeal the outcome of a Title IX case is not absolute. Instead, your appeal has to generally fall within one of the following circumstances:
- The penalty far outweighs the violation. If you limit your appeal to the penalty, alone, then you can lodge an appeal on the grounds that the sanction is above and beyond the severity of the Title IX violation.
- New evidence. If new evidence has been discovered, and that evidence could not reasonably have been found during the earlier hearing process, then it can be the basis for an appeal of the underlying violation.
- Due process violations. Because Title IX claims are severe, you have a due process right to be heard and to be allowed to present your best defense. Because the school's hearing process is ill-equipped to hear these cases and the school is often being pressured to come to a speedy resolution, these rights can be violated. When they are, it can be the basis for an appeal.
- Procedural mistakes. Despite colleges in Oklahoma setting out official procedures for hearing Title IX cases, those rules are frequently ignored or forgotten. If this happens during your case and it substantially affects the outcome, it can be the basis for an appeal.
Title IX Appeal Advisor for Oklahoma
Joseph D. Lento is an attorney who represents students facing disciplinary actions, including allegations of violating Title IX's prohibition against sexual misconduct. Tapping into his experience and background can drastically increase your odds of success if you are considering appealing the outcome of your Title IX case in Oklahoma. Contact him online or by phone at 888-535-3686 for the help and advice that you need to overcome these serious and groundless accusations.
- Bacone College
- Brown Mackie College Tulsa
- Cameron University
- Career Point College
- Carl Albert State College
- Connors State College
- DeVry University Oklahoma
- East Central University
- Eastern Oklahoma State College
- Family of Faith College
- Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College
- ITT Technical Institute Oklahoma City
- ITT Technical Institute Tulsa
- Langston University
- Mid America Christian University
- Murray State College
- National American University Tulsa
- Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
- Northeastern State University
- Northern Oklahoma College
- Northwestern Oklahoma State University
- Oklahoma Baptist University
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Oklahoma City Community College
- Oklahoma City University
- Oklahoma Panhandle State University
- Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee
- Oklahoma State University Main Campus
- Oklahoma State University Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma Wesleyan University
- Oral Roberts University
- Redlands Community College
- Rogers State University
- Rose State College
- Saint Gregorys University
- Seminole State College
- Southeastern Oklahoma State University
- Southern Nazarene University
- Southwestern Christian University
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
- Tulsa Community College
- University of Central Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
- University of Phoenix Oklahoma City Campus
- University of Phoenix Tulsa Campus
- University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
- University of Tulsa
- Vatterott College Tulsa
- Western Oklahoma State College
A Title IX finding of responsibility can change an accused student's life if not properly addressed and appealed, and Joseph D. Lento has a decade of experience passionately fighting for the futures of his clients at universities and colleges throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX advisor and educational consultant to students facing disciplinary cases in Oklahoma and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National Title IX attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
