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College Campus Crimes
Attending college is the first taste of freedom for young adults. They have many exciting experiences before them, but missteps are not uncommon. Some of these mistakes are opportunities to learn. However, there are others that can have serious and lasting consequences. If you have been accused of committing a crime on the campus of a California college, contact our law firm. We defend college students who have been accused of committing a wide variety of crimes from vandalism and noise violations to burglary and sexual assault.
Youthful Mistakes Come With Grown-Up Consequences
College is an exciting time for young people. It’s an opportunity to push boundaries and explore the world. Unfortunately, sometimes that means making some fairly sizable mistakes. When one of those mistakes involves violating California law, then it’s important to obtain the assistance of a dedicated California college crime defense attorney.
Youthful enthusiasm and a lack of experience make for a potent combination that can lead to a lot of trouble. However, it’s important for college students to realize that their choices and actions have lasting consequences. In most cases, students who are accused of committing a crime on campus are no longer eligible to be dealt with by the juvenile court system. This means that they may find themselves going through the adult courts, and that can be an extremely frightening wake-up call.
Convictions Can Become Part of a Permanent Record
Anyone who is convicted of a crime while in college may find that their hopes for the future are ruined before they even fully take shape. A conviction can mean being expelled from school. With a black mark like this it’s difficult to get accepted into graduate school. Moreover, the expulsion may have to be disclosed on any job applications or applications for professional licenses. A person with a criminal record may find that they are no longer eligible to receive scholarships.
Of course, the problems go well beyond the academic. Depending upon the seriousness of the crime, the defendant may find that their future job prospects have become severely limited. Certain professional doors may be closed to them, leading them to have to rethink every part of their future.
Almost as distressing is the loss of time and freedom that comes with defending against criminal charges. No one wants to spend their college years in a California courtroom. Even worse is the thought that this important time could be spent in jail or prison instead of in the classroom. It’s not a future that any student or their parent wants to contemplate. That’s why it is so important to hire aggressive, experienced Los Angeles on-campus crime defense attorneys.
Helping With Academic Disciplinary Procedures
College students who are accused of a crime may find themselves facing disciplinary action from their school. In less serious matters, it may be that criminal charges are never filed, and that the student will only face discipline from their college or university. More serious cases may mean the involvement of both the college and the California court system. Whether criminal charges are filed or not, it pays to have a qualified college campus crime defense attorney working for you.
Each college or university determines much of its own disciplinary methods. These methods may include a hearing or other formal inquest. Unfortunately, many of these proceedings heavily favor the accuser. The accused often does not get to review the evidence against them. Sometimes they are not permitted to bring witnesses who might testify in their defense. Working with an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney helps to even the odds against the accused. With a California college campus crime defense attorney fighting for your rights, you’ll get the aggressive defense you deserve. Even if you’re not facing criminal charges it is worthwhile to have an attorney represent you at any academic disciplinary hearing or proceeding. It may be precisely what you need to put the accusations behind you so you can move forward with your life.
Defending Against a Variety of Charges
Every year, college students in Los Angeles are accused of many crimes. Among the most common are:
-Minor in possession
-Possession of fake identification
-Public intoxication
-Possession of illegal drugs
-Sexual Assault
-Burglary
-Assault and battery
-Shoplifting
-Disorderly conduct
-Hazing
-DUI
Conviction on any of these charges can have very serious consequences for college students that reach well beyond the walls of the academic institution. Many of these crimes carry heavy penalties that include one or more years in prison, substantial fines, probation, driver’s license suspension and more. Clearly, a conviction could put an end to an academic career and force an otherwise exemplary student to reassess their plans for the future.
Working to Reduce or Dismiss Charges
At this law firm, the experienced criminal defense attorneys understand how much is at stake when a student is accused of a crime on campus. We provide personalized, one-on-one attention to each client to ensure that they receive the best possible legal defense. Our primary goal is to have the charges dropped or at least reduced to a lesser offense. However, should these outcomes not be possible, we are always willing to fight for our clients in court.
Contact us today if you have been accused of a college campus crime. Whether the crime happened on campus or off, your academic and professional future may depend upon obtaining skillful legal defense.