<p>My son has a temporary suspension pending judicial hearing. He has been made to vacate his room and can't go to classes. He said he did something impulsive. He has ADHD. The story is more complicated because he said security interrogated him for 5 hours last night from 12-5 a.m. and he signed a statement even though it wasn't true. He didn't think it was serious at that point after being up all night and now he realizes it was. I don't know details and won't be giving details. I want to support my son. What are his rights? What can and should I do? I am very worried and upset.</p>
<p>I’d lawyer up. Good luck.</p>
<p>A lesson to every body. Do not sign anything. Ever. When you have the right to not sign. Especially after five hours. Say nothing. Sign nothing. </p>
<p>There is impulsive spray painting dirty words on a wall, or breaking windows, or hacking, or filling a washing ing machine with potatoes. </p>
<p>I feel for you. It’s scary. But this, no matter what happens will not wreck his life. He will recover and move on.</p>
<p>Hugs</p>
<p>Thank you Seahorserocks. I can’t believe he signed something… </p>
<p>He’s an adult chronologically but ADHD is associated with delayed emotional maturity and that’s part of the problem here.</p>
<p>Has anybody been through this? Do students get a lawyer for a judicial hearing?</p>
<p>Step 1: Go on to the website of the college your S attends and see if there is any information on it about disciplinary hearings. Read it thoroughly. Whether he can have a lawyer present at any hearing depends on the rule of the individual college. Find out. Even if he can’t have a lawyer present for a hearing, it may be worth while to talk with one.</p>
<p>Step 2: Does your S have a copy of what he signed? If so, read that thoroughly. There is a chance that he has waived his right to a hearing when he signed it.</p>
<p>Step 3: Consult a lawyer ASAP. Consult one in the town where the college is located and preferably one with some experience dealing with disciplinary proceedings at that college. SOMETIMES you can find the name by searching the college paper on-line. You MAY be able to find the name of an attorney who handled disciplinary proceedings featured in an article. If not, see if there is a Legal Referral Service run by a bar association in that community and contact it.</p>
<p>Step 4: Your S MAY want to send a letter ASAP correcting the misstatements in what he signed. It’s best to consult a lawyer before he does that, but if you can’t for some reason, AFTER READING WHAT HE SIGNED AND ANY INFO ABOUT DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, he might send a correction. </p>
<p>This is not legal advice. Get that from a local lawyer.</p>
<p>Why was your son interrogated for 5 hours without a lawyer? just goes to show the ethics of the police in this country. But I have to agree with what everyone else is saying, never sign anything or say anything.</p>
<p>Thanks jonri. It’s a small town. Will any lawyer do? Looking in the yellow pages, it looks like the lawyers in town are generalists not specialists.</p>
<p>structuralbio–it was school security. I coulcn’t believe it so I called security and the person there said he was there for several hours but he was not detained-- he was free to go at any time. I’m guessing they didn’t tell him that – why else would he have stayed there?</p>
<p>Honestly, just alarmed for you and know nothing professionally.
I would call my big U law school and ask/demand/go on and on unti they gave me some referals .The lawyer does not need to be in your town just in your state.</p>
<p>oops-Jonri might be right about a lawyer in your town but I would still go to whatever law schools you have to get a referral.,</p>
<p>What did he do-allegedly?</p>
<p>The dean would not specify any allegations. My son told me something. I don’t know the details and I will not be posting them on CC.</p>
<p>^^^^ that takes all the fun out of this thread :(</p>
<p>Without the details, we can’t give specific advice, which is why I went with lawyer up. A lawyer can ascertain whether his/her services are really needed.</p>
<p>You certainly do not have to give details (I for one don’t blame you for not wanting to do that) but it would help us help you if we knew if you were dealing with academic dishonestly, vandalism, some type of assault, general rule breaking, etc.</p>
<p>Again, find out what county the town is in and check for a legal referral service. It there isn’t one…</p>
<p>If you see the names of lawyers in the town, google them in the school newspaper on-line archive and in the local paper on-line if there is one and see if any come up and the context. If one has represented a lot of students, that’s probably a good sign. Just google the attorneys generally too and see what comes up.</p>
<p>You need to act FAST. Call a couple of lawyers and ask how much they’d charge for an initial consultation. If the rate is low enough, talk with at least 2–by Skype if possible. Choose after getting some feel for them.</p>
<p>If what your S did is allegedly criminal do NOT ask him about it. There is no such thing as parent-child privilege. Get your S to talk to a lawyer, NOT you. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Just echoing what everyone else is saying. He needs legal representation ASAP. As the parent of a son with ADHD, I know where you’re coming from.</p>
<p>Now is not the time to be proud. Go to the college board for your kid’s school, and post, need immediately lawyer for student issue (say as much as you want). Gl.</p>
<p>Have a lawyer. Not much progress or info yet.</p>
<p>Glad to hear it. It might feel like going overboard – and it might be, in the end – but better safe than sorry.</p>
<p>I agree 100% with what Jonri had to say. My H is a lawyer who has advised students in similar situations. I am glad that you have found a lawyer, and hope it is one who has experience with this school’s processes, or if not that then with other colleges’ processes. He/she can advise your S on how to handle things even if a lawyer is not permitted to be a representative in direct dealings with the college. Best of luck to you and your S.</p>