Going to college can be a pivotal time in a young person’s life—and unfortunately, not always for the right reasons. Once you turn 18, you are considered an adult in the eyes of the Florida court system, which means violating state law while enrolled at a university or college in the Sunshine State could result in a conviction as an adult. This could jeopardize not only your academic life and career prospects, but also your freedom.
You have rights throughout the criminal process that it is important for you to enforce, and guidance from an expert Wellington student defense lawyer can be vital to doing that effectively. Our expert defense attorneys at Rossen Law Firm can assist with criminal proceedings and provide crucial guidance about how to handle disciplinary proceedings at school. We know that mistakes happen, and we are here to help.
Dealing with Criminal Charges Commonly Faced by Students
Some of the more common charges that our Wellington student defense attorneys help families like yours deal with include:
- Underage drinking and/or alcohol possession
- Public intoxication
- DUI
- Drug possession, distribution, and/or production
- Physical assault and battery
- Sexual assault
- Theft, including shoplifting charges
- Unlawful exposure
While many of these charges can be prosecuted as misdemeanor offenses rather than felonies, that does not mean they should not be taken just as seriously and fought just as vigorously. A criminal conviction of any kind on a young person’s record could have devastating personal and professional repercussions that go far beyond a fine or even a short jail term imposed by a court. On top of that, being convicted multiple times of offenses like petit theft can give courts legal standing to impose harsher, felony-level consequences for a subsequent conviction, thanks to Florida’s repeat offender laws.
Managing School Conduct Hearings and Disciplinary Action
Even if a college student accused of a criminal offense is able to get the criminal charges against them dismissed or dropped, they may still be in serious trouble with their school. Virtually every act prohibited under Florida state law is also prohibited under the Codes of Conduct enforced by colleges and universities. Importantly, those Codes of Conduct often have much lower “burdens of proof” that school administrators and conduct boards have to meet in order to sanction a student with penalties like fines, bans from campus, suspension, or even permanent expulsion.
On top of that, the Constitutional rights guaranteed to defendants in criminal trials do not apply to school disciplinary proceedings, so students facing this kind of action from their school may not have a legal right to remain silent or to have legal counsel provided to them. That said, there is still a lot that a qualified student defense lawyer in Wellington can do to prepare you for this kind of proceeding and give you the best chances possible of getting a favorable final result.
Get Help from a Wellington Student Defense Attorney
College students have their whole lives ahead of them, but one mistake that gets them into legal trouble could derail all their future plans. Fortunately, you have help available in a situation like this from experienced defense attorneys with a track record of positive case results achieved on behalf of people like you.
Working with an expert Wellington student defense lawyer gives you the best chances possible of protecting your best interests. Contact us at Rossen Law Firm today to set up your strategy session with a dedicated attorney.