In Part 1 of Kimberly's cheating scandal, we talked about what actions caused her to be brought before a disciplinary committee at Essex College. Kimberly is caught cheating on her economics exam and now has to defend being able to continue studying at Essex. It's a hard blow for someone like Kimberly, who has never done anything wrong.

The Hearing

In the final episode of Sex Lives of College Girls, Kimberly is facing expulsion and her parents' disappointment at her actions. She also finds out that Nico has been cheating on his girlfriend with Kimberly. At a fraternity party the night before her sentencing hearing, she decides to steal several of the exams from the fraternity's filing cabinet. She hopes that exposing the fraternity will lessen her punishment. And she's right.

During her hearing, she acknowledges what she did wrong and explains that this is her first offense. Before leaving, she turns the tests in. The hearing committee is stunned, and you can tell it goes a long way to lessening her punishment. Later, she finds out that she can stay at Essex, but she's lost her scholarship. How she'll be able to afford to stay at college is a problem for Season 2.

Real Life Disciplinary Hearings

In reality, disciplinary hearings have a ton of preamble. Suspicions are brought to a particular department who then fully investigates the accused student. The student also has an opportunity early on to discuss their side of the story and clarify the incident. If the school still believes the student has cheated, they will pursue a disciplinary hearing, but the accused student is given plenty of time to figure out the best way to defend themselves.

How an Attorney-Advisor Can Help

Attorney advisors have special knowledge of student disciplinary issues. They have worked for years with students accused of cheating, plagiarizing, or falsifying information. When you contact an attorney advisor, they will conduct their own investigation into the incident and determine the best way to present a defense for your actions. Attorney advisors will gather evidence and find witnesses to testify on your behalf.

If Kimberly had had an attorney advisor, they would have helped her get the most out of turning in the fraternity's collection of old tests. Maybe she would have received a lesser punishment than losing her scholarship. For instance, she could have simply been placed on probation and required to keep her grades above a certain threshold with no further misconduct. Or she could have been given community service like Leighton is in the second episode.

Attorney Joseph D. Lento has spent his career defending college students accused of academic misconduct from unnecessary sanctions. Attorney Lento and his team will be able to achieve the best possible outcome for your case with their assistance. Call 888-535-3686 today to schedule a consultation.