Hazing is common across colleges and universities throughout the US. This includes Maryland.
The following statistics on hazing can help you better understand the nature of the issue:
- About 74% of student athletes report experiencing hazing in some capacity during their academic careers.
- Approximately 55% of college students who participate in organizations like fraternities or sororities report experiencing hazing during their time in college.
Many students even enter college, having already experienced hazing. Researchers have found approximately 47% of US students start college having already experienced hazing in some form.
Universities strive to protect their students by enforcing anti-hazing policies. Additionally, college administrators know that hazing incidents can affect their schools' reputations.
Thus, it's not uncommon for colleges to harshly discipline students accused of hazing. The goal may be to send a message: We do not tolerate such activities among our students.
You could face serious penalties if you've been accused of hazing at a college or university in Maryland. Fortunately, legal help is available in these circumstances. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team can protect your rights and help you navigate an investigation with confidence. Learn more about what we can do for you by contacting us online or calling our offices at 888-535-3686.
What Qualifies as Hazing in Maryland?
Maryland's anti-hazing law states that someone may engage in hazing if they intentionally engage in an act or create a situation in which a student, for the purposes of initiation into a student organization, is subjected to the risk of serious bodily injury.
The law also specifies that an act doesn't stop qualifying as hazing simply because a victim gave their consent to participate in a hazing ritual. Often, such rituals involve a significant degree of social pressure. A student who consents to participating in a hazing ritual may only do so because they feel they must.
It's vital to understand that colleges and universities in Maryland can establish their own anti-hazing policies. While it's likely they'll reference the law when doing so, schools can establish policies that are stricter than the statute itself.
Additionally, colleges and universities may follow their own procedures when investigating hazing allegations. Protecting yourself and your rights in these circumstances is easier when you have representation from a legal professional who understands the unique ways schools may handle these matters.
That's exactly what you'll find at the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. Our experienced attorneys can provide a defense tailored to the needs of someone under investigation in a college or university setting.
Common Forms of Hazing
Surveys of students throughout the US indicate the following are the most common forms of hazing at colleges and universities in the country:
- Drinking games
- Being required to sing or chant in a public setting that isn't related to a sports match or other such event
- Being pressured to consume large quantities of alcohol until a victim becomes ill or passes out
- Other members of an organization suddenly waking victims up in the middle of the night
- Other members of an organization yelling at, berating, or otherwise verbally mistreating new members
Again, these are merely the most common forms of hazing. The above list doesn't represent all the forms of hazing that may occur on or near a college campus.
On the one hand, it's smart for anti-hazing laws and policies to define hazing fairly broadly. If someone harms another student for hazing purposes, they shouldn't get away with it simply because the specific nature of their actions wasn't listed in a school's anti-hazing policy.
On the other hand, this gray area can make it difficult to determine when an act does and doesn't qualify as hazing. You might have been accused of participating in a hazing ritual because you engaged in an act that may not necessarily qualify as such.
At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team may consider this when working on your defense strategy. The fact that someone has accused you of hazing doesn't always mean characterizing your actions as hazing is accurate or correct.
The Potential Consequences of Being Accused of Hazing at a University in Maryland
Being accused of hazing can have serious short-term and long-term implications for your academic career. Common examples of penalties for hazing at Maryland universities and colleges include:
- Probation
- Formal reprimand
- Loss of funding for a student organization
- Loss of a student organization's privilege to operate on campus or use campus resources
- Loss of the privilege to live on campus
- Suspension
- Expulsion
Perhaps your university expels you after investigating an alleged hazing incident and determining you violated the school's anti-hazing policies. Unless you successfully appeal the matter, you now won't be able to complete your degree at your chosen university.
It's technically possible to complete your degree at another school. However, finding a college willing to admit a student who was already expelled from another school for hazing will prove difficult.
The long-term consequences of hazing allegations can also affect your career. For example, perhaps, instead of expelling you, your college merely suspends you after investigating an alleged hazing incident.
The suspension may nevertheless result in a gap in your education. Potential employers might notice this when you apply or interview for jobs.
You'll have to explain the matter. Naturally, an employer might not want to take you on if they know you've been in trouble for hazing in the past.
The main point to take away from all this is that you shouldn't ignore hazing accusations. Because such accusations can significantly influence the course of your life, you need a proper defense. That's exactly what our Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm offers.
How Maryland Colleges and Universities May Not Follow Due Process Rules
A legal professional can ensure no one violates your rights when investigating hazing allegations. This is very important, as colleges and universities don't have to follow the rules of due process the way investigators and prosecutors might have to in a criminal case.
Ways a university may ignore due process in these circumstances include:
- Notifying you of hazing allegations without giving you sufficient time to coordinate a defense strategy
- Not informing you of your rights, such as the right to hire an attorney
- Not allowing a neutral jury or other such party to decide whether there's sufficient evidence to penalize you
Although this isn't a criminal case, it can be helpful to think of the matter as one. Just as you would hire a lawyer if you were charged with a crime, contact the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team if your university is investigating you for an alleged hazing incident. Along with helping providing a strong defense, we can speak out on your behalf if it appears a school is violating your rights.
What Not to Do When You've Been Accused of Hazing in Maryland
Avoiding certain common errors when you've been accused of hazing is critical. If you've been accused of hazing at a university in Maryland, you should NOT:
- Agree to participate in hearings or interviews without a lawyer present
- Post about the matter on social media
- Discuss the matter with anyone aside from your attorney
- Lie in an attempt to avoid getting into trouble
Attorneys can offer peace of mind in this scenario. You'll be less worried about making a mistake if your lawyers are available to answer questions about what you should and should not do when facing hazing accusations.
We Defend Students Accused of Hazing Throughout Maryland
At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is on hand to serve students accused of hazing anywhere in Maryland, including students of such colleges and universities as:
- University of Maryland (College Park)
- Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore)
- Towson University (Towson)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore)
- Loyola University of Maryland (Baltimore)
- Salisbury University (Salisbury)
Those are just a few examples. No matter where you attend college, if you've been accused of hazing, our attorneys can offer the defense you need.
Potential Defense Strategies in Maryland Hazing Cases
The right defense strategy in one hazing case isn't necessarily the right strategy in another. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team prioritizes tailoring our services to the specific needs of our clients. We'll review the details of your case thoroughly and carefully to develop a strategy that reflects the unique details of your situation.
However, reviewing common defense strategies can help you better understand how legal professionals may approach cases like yours. Defense strategies attorneys may employ when their clients are accused of hazing include:
- Establishing an alibi: Have you been falsely accused of hazing? This can happen for many reasons. Perhaps someone with a grudge has accused you of hazing in the hopes of getting you in trouble. Or, maybe someone mistakenly identified you as someone who participated in a hazing incident. Regardless, if you have a valid alibi, lawyers could help you gather evidence to support it.
- Challenging the accusations: Once more, it's not always clear whether an act qualifies as hazing. Lawyers may sometimes defend their clients in these types of cases by suggesting that the acts of which they've been accused don't qualify as hazing according to the law or a school's own policies.
- Challenging your level of participation: Hazing incidents may occur at parties. In large social settings, where many people may be in attendance, it's not always obvious whether someone is directly participating in hazing. A potential defense strategy could involve arguing that you witnessed hazing but didn't participate in it yourself.
- Challenging the evidence: A school's case against you might be weak. Perhaps the evidence linking you to a hazing incident is minimal. If so, attorneys can point out these weaknesses, showing why the evidence isn't strong enough to justify penalizing you.
Remember, these are just examples. We'll thoroughly account for the details of your case when working on your defense strategy. If you ever have any questions about our strategy, members of the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team would be happy to answer them.
Lawyers Can Help Negotiate a Deal When You're Accused of Hazing at a Maryland University
It's wise to think of a hazing case in the same way you might think about a criminal case. Just as defendants and their lawyers may negotiate with prosecutors to secure a plea deal, your attorneys may be able to negotiate with your school to minimize the penalties you face.
One way to achieve this is to cite various mitigating factors. For example, perhaps your participation in a hazing incident was minimal. Or, maybe you're a strong student who's never been in trouble before. Lawyers could also argue that the actions you engaged in had little chance of actually causing serious harm to anyone. A university might be more lenient when penalizing you if it can be shown that this was a one-time lapse in judgment on your part.
Attorneys with the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team have experience negotiating on behalf of our clients. We're willing to do the same for you if necessary.
Maryland Student Defense Attorneys Can Help When You've Been Accused of Hazing
Being proactive is key if you learn you've been accused of hazing at a Maryland university or college. Attorneys with experience handling cases like yours can help by:
- Reviewing the details of the accusations and explaining them to you
- Helping you understand the potential consequences you may be facing
- Gathering evidence to strengthen your case
- Speaking on your behalf during interviews and hearings
- Answering your questions as the case unfolds and helping you avoid critical mistakes
- Carefully reviewing your school's anti-hazing policies and evaluating how they apply to your case
- Negotiating a deal if avoiding penalties altogether is impossible
Don't delay when finding out you've been accused of hazing. Fast action can make a critical difference in your case's outcome. At the Lento Law Firm, our Student Defense Team is ready to begin strategizing as soon as you hire us. Get started today by calling our offices at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.
