Drug charges can be a significant issue for college students. Obviously, jail time could affect someone’s academic performance. Needing to prepare for court could lead to distractions that affect someone’s grades. A conviction even without a jail sentence could affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid and their involvement in extracurricular activities such as athletics or honors programs.
Sometimes, a conviction for a drug offense will also lead to a hearing in front of the school disciplinary board. Such a hearing could ultimately result in a student’s expulsion from the college. After that happens, the student will still be responsible for repaying their student loan debt. How can a college student avoid this worst-case scenario?
Fight back to avoid a criminal conviction
Perhaps the best possible means of avoiding expulsion from college over a criminal conviction is to defend against the charges and avoid the conviction.
There are numerous ways that someone accused of a drug offense could defend themselves, ranging from providing an alibi for a specific incident to challenging evidence used by prosecutors for the case. A successful defense should prevent any academic consequences for criminal charges.
Prepare for a defense in front of a disciplinary board
Every college has a slightly different set of rules for enrolled students, but many have some kind of disciplinary board. If a student violates the code of conduct for enrolled students, they could face penalties determined at a hearing.
If they fail to defend themselves, there are many possible penalties, including expulsion. Much like in criminal court, those accused of a drug offense while in college have the right to defend themselves in front of the school’s disciplinary board.
Not only do students facing significant disciplinary action have the right to defend themselves, but they also have the right to have an attorney represent them in the hearing. While the average college student may struggle to fund their own defense, parents of a student who don’t want a mistake to determine the rest of their life may want to help their child continue their education after making a mistake.
Fighting back against drug charges and against school-based discipline can help a college student move on from those charges.