Title IX Misconduct Attorney in Nashville, TN
Among other things, Title IX is a federal law that dictates in what way schools and colleges are to respond to allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment. These cases are often referred to as Title IX sexual misconduct allegations and may arise from incidents on or off campus. The law requires schools to take a number of administrative steps that afford both the accused and the complainant a variety of rights, such as the right to a fair and impartial investigator, the right to support measures that do not interfere with access to educational programming, the right to present evidence and witnesses, and, at many schools, the right to a hearing. Understanding your Title IX due process rights during a campus investigation is critical to protecting your academic and professional future. Since Title IX statutes have changed dramatically since their implementation and are still changing, the protocols and procedures at many institutions do not fully comply with the law.
How a Title IX Attorney Can Help
Kimberly Hodde and MSS-Nashville provide expert guidance to students and employees facing one of the most stressful experiences of their lives. As an experienced Nashville Title IX defense lawyer, Ms. Hodde represents clients in complex university disciplinary proceedings and campus investigations. Our office has handled multiple Title IX matters at elite institutions with successful outcomes via hearings, settlements, and dismissals. Though Title IX proceedings are civil in nature, in many cases, sexual assault and/or sexual harassment accusations trigger an internal Title IX investigation by the school, as well as a parallel criminal investigation by law enforcement. If the educational institution substantiates the allegations after an in-house inquiry, the accused may face civil sanctions imposed by the school ranging from probation and corrective measures to expulsion or termination. The stakes of a criminal investigation are, obviously, much higher and could ultimately result in criminal charges or a prison sentence. Kimberly Hodde is a criminal law specialist, which is what makes MSS-Nashville uniquely poised to handle all aspects of Title IX investigations. Her expert skills in these often-bifurcated cases enable her to guide students and employees through the multitude of involved risks during the school administrative process while minimizing any criminal exposure and simultaneously fighting the criminal investigation. Representation by an expert, criminal defense attorney during a civil, Title IX proceeding provides the accused with an unparalleled defense on all fronts and avoids the common missteps of civil practitioners who are not well-versed in criminal law and do not regularly handle criminal cases.
If you are accused of sexual assault or sexual harassment as a student or an employee of a school or college, you should contact a Title IX attorney as soon as possible and make no statements to school investigators without the guidance of an attorney and without an attorney present. Speaking with a Title IX defense attorney early can help preserve evidence, protect your rights, and avoid critical mistakes during the investigation. Equally and perhaps more importantly, it is usually a mistake to make any statement to law enforcement. Police routinely use psychological tactics designed to make you feel like only a guilty person would decline an interview or seek the guidance of counsel, but that impression is flatly wrong. In fact, when we represent police, federal agents or their loved ones, they do not make statements to law enforcement and immediately hire counsel.
Get Strategic Guidance From a Nashville Title IX Defense Attorney Now
Your initial response to the allegations could determine the outcome of the entire matter, both at the administrative level and in any criminal investigation. Statements you might make, whether in formal interviews or in casual conversations with classmates, professors, or colleagues, could seriously jeopardize the strength of your case or elicit a criminal prosecution.
Contact Kim Hodde and MSS-Nashville to guide you through your Title IX investigation.