Hazing occurs at colleges and universities in all US states. Colorado is no exception.
To better understand how prevalent hazing is, consider the following statistics on hazing:
- Almost half of all incoming college students in the US will have experienced some form of hazing before starting college.
- Approximately 74% of student athletes in the US report experiencing at least one form of hazing during their college years.
- About 55% of students participating in fraternities, sororities, or other such student organizations experience hazing during their time in college.
College and university administrators in Colorado understand that hazing incidents can put student safety at risk. They can also harm a school's reputation if a college fails to take action against students accused of hazing. Such damage to a college's reputation could negatively affect enrollment numbers.
These are just a few reasons universities often strictly enforce anti-hazing policies. If you've been accused of hazing at a Colorado university, the penalties you may face could be serious.
Protecting yourself in these circumstances is critical. One of the most effective ways to do so is to enlist the help of legal professionals with experience defending students like yourself.
At the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, our lawyers have the experience necessary to provide the defense you need when facing hazing allegations. Start protecting your future today by calling our offices at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.
What Qualifies as Hazing in Colorado?
Colorado law defines hazing as an activity that recklessly endangers the health or safety of, or causes risk of bodily injury to, an individual being initiated into a student organization.
Colorado's anti-hazing statute offers the following examples of activities that may qualify as hazing:
- Any forced and/or prolonged physical activity
- Forced consumption of any substance in greater quantities than is safe or normal for human consumption
- Forced consumption of any substance that humans wouldn't typically consume
- Sleep, food, or drink deprivation
Those are just a few examples. The law clearly states other activities not listed here may also qualify as hazing.
However, the wording of the law also highlights one of the many ways there can be “gray areas” in hazing cases. For example, per the statute, an activity may not qualify as hazing if it involves a common athletic event or if it's been authorized for athletic training or similar purposes.
It's not always clear when an action does or doesn't qualify as hazing. If you've been accused of hazing, this is a factor our attorneys with the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team may account for when working on your defense strategy.
Colorado Schools and Universities Can Establish Their Own Anti-Hazing Policies
Colleges and universities may reference their states' laws when establishing their anti-hazing policies and procedures. However, it's important to understand that an individual university's anti-hazing policies may be stricter than the law.
That means a university can also establish and follow its own procedures when investigating hazing allegations. Thus, if you've been accused of hazing at a university or college in Colorado, the right lawyers to defend you will be those with specific experience handling student discipline cases, which can differ from criminal cases. Those are exactly the types of attorneys you'll find with the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team.
Common Forms of Hazing at Colorado Universities and Colleges
Along with the activities listed in the official statute, according to surveys, the following are among the most common forms of hazing at US colleges and universities:
- Participating in drinking games
- Being required to chant or sing in a public setting that isn't a game, practice, or other such team event
- Being pressured to consume large quantities of alcohol to the point of passing out or becoming ill
- Being woken up in the middle of the night by other members of a student organization
- Being yelled at or otherwise verbally harassed by other members of a student organization
Once more, there can be questions over whether certain activities qualify as hazing. Our lawyers with the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team may be able to show why an activity you're accused of doesn't meet the definition of hazing according to the law or a school's own policies.
Potential Consequences Students May Face in Colorado Hazing Case
Taking hazing allegations seriously is vital. If a university investigates hazing allegations and determines you've participated in hazing, you could face such consequences as:
- Formal reprimand
- Probation
- Loss of the privilege to reside on campus
- Loss of funding and other forms of university support for a student organization
- Suspension
- Expulsion
Such penalties can follow you for years to come. For instance, you'll have to finish your degree at another school if the university you currently attend expels you for hazing. Unfortunately, being expelled for hazing can make it remarkably difficult for you to find another college willing to accept you as a student.
Maybe your penalties aren't this harsh. Perhaps your school suspends you instead of expelling you.
This could still affect your professional career. When interviewing for jobs, potential employers may notice a gap in your education during the time when you were suspended.
They might require you to explain this gap. Just as another school might not be inclined to accept a student who was disciplined for hazing, a potential employer might decide not to hire you for similar reasons.
None of this is meant to suggest that such consequences are inevitable. You simply need to take the matter seriously and enlist the help of legal professionals early upon learning you've been accused of hazing. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is prepared to offer the assistance you need right now.
How Colorado Universities and Colleges May Not Follow Due Process Rules When Investigating Hazing Allegations
Because colleges and universities can establish their own anti-hazing policies, they don't always follow the rules of due process that prosecutors and law enforcement might follow in a criminal case. Ways a university's investigators might not follow due process rules in your case include:
- Failing to immediately notify you of the allegations
- Notifying you of the allegations but not giving you enough time to work on a defense
- Not informing you of your rights
- Not allowing a jury of your peers to decide whether there's enough evidence to rule against you
These examples once again demonstrate the value of hiring qualified lawyers when you've been accused of hazing. At the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team, our attorneys will ensure your rights are not violated throughout an investigation.
What Not to Do When Someone Accuses You of Hazing in Colorado
Navigating the situation upon learning someone has accused you of hazing can be intimidating. Without legal professionals on your side, it's possible you'll make certain common errors that could jeopardize your case's outcome.
Examples of what NOT to do when you've been accused of hazing include:
- Posting about the case on social media
- Discussing the case with other students or anyone else investigators may speak with
- Agreeing to participate in interviews or hearings without counsel
- Trying to gather evidence and mount a defense yourself
- Ignoring the matter in the hopes that it will resolve itself
You'll worry less about making the wrong moves now if you hire attorneys to defend you. We'll gladly explain what you should and should not do as your case unfolds.
Even in situations in which students know for a fact that they've been falsely accused of hazing, ignoring the matter is never wise. It's entirely possible a university's investigation team will make a mistake and decide to improperly penalize you for a hazing incident you didn't participate in.
The stakes are very high when you've been accused of hazing at a Colorado university. Now isn't the time to assume the matter will resolve itself in your favor. Protect your future with help from our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Throughout Colorado
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is proud to offer our services to students accused of hazing at such Colorado universities and schools as:
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Colorado College (Colorado Springs)
- Colorado State University (Fort Collins)
- University of Denver
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- Regis University (Denver)
- University of Northern Colorado (Greeley)
- Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction)
That's by no means a complete list. If you've been accused of hazing at any university in Colorado, our team is available to help.
Potential Defenses in Colorado Hazing Cases
Our defense strategy is tailored to your specific needs. We can't tell you how we'll approach your case without learning the details first.
However, there are certain basic defense strategies that lawyers may use in these circumstances. They include:
- Challenging the evidence: Quite simply, a school's case against you might be weak. We can challenge the evidence and point out such weaknesses accordingly when this is the case.
- Establishing an alibi: Have you been falsely accused of participating in a hazing incident? Maybe someone mistook you for an individual who actually did participate in said incident. Or, perhaps someone has falsely accused you of hazing because they hold some sort of grudge against you. No matter why you were falsely accused, if you have a valid alibi, lawyers can help you gather evidence to establish it.
- Challenging whether an act qualifies as hazing: To reiterate an earlier point, there can be debate regarding whether certain acts qualify as hazing. Your lawyers might push back against accusations of hazing if we can show the act you're accused of doesn't qualify.
- Challenging whether you were a participant: Not everyone who is present during a hazing ritual is a participant in said ritual. Hazing incidents often occur at parties and other social settings where numerous people may be in attendance. It might be possible to show that you didn't participate in a hazing incident and were instead, at most, a witness to said incident.
- Arguing the incident was staged: Posting videos of hazing incidents online has become increasingly common in the digital age. So has staging such incidents for the purposes of creating social media content. Maybe you're facing disciplinary action because you appear in a video or photo that seems to depict hazing. If the incident in question was staged, we could help you show this.
Remember, none of this is to suggest that we'll employ these exact strategies when handling your case. They're simply meant to help you better understand the approaches attorneys often consider in these scenarios. Our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm will review the details of your case and develop a strategy serving your unique needs.
Lawyers Can Help Negotiate Deals With Colorado Universities in Hazing Cases
Negotiating with university investigators and officials is another potential way student defense lawyers can assist you in these circumstances. Lawyers could cite mitigating factors to argue for lenient punishment in a hazing case.
For example, maybe you're a strong student, and this is the first time you've ever been in any sort of trouble. Citing such mitigating factors can possibly allow our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm to minimize the penalties you face.
Our team can also help you better understand the nature of any penalties the school considers. Understanding penalties can help you avoid errors that might otherwise result in you getting into worse trouble.
Colorado Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You've Been Accused of Hazing
Our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can assist you in many ways when you've been accused of hazing at a Colorado university or college. Examples include:
- Reviewing the allegations to help you better understand the school's case against you
- Representing you during interviews, hearings, etc.
- Gathering evidence to strengthen your case
- Identifying weaknesses in the case against you
- Negotiating on your behalf when necessary
- Helping you avoid common errors during an investigation
Hazing accusations can affect your life for years to come. That doesn't mean they have to. Start protecting yourself today by submitting your information through our online contact form or calling our offices at 888-535-3686.
