Undergraduate Academic Misconduct Lawyer

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Accused of cheating or plagiarism? College students accused of academic misconduct often make the mistake of assuming that cheating allegations will simply go away, often not realizing the full consequences until years later. Our Academic Dishonesty attorneys collaborate with subject matter experts that can help to prove your innocence and protect your academic record and reputation.

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Faculty Member or Graduate Student?

If you are a faculty member or graduate student who has been accused of research misconduct, learn more about how our Academic & Scientific Research Misconduct group can help.

CHEATING & pLAGIARISM ATTORNEYS

YOU CAN FIGHT ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ALLEGATIONS

Earning a college degree means that an individual student has put in the necessary time and effort to satisfy the educational requirements of their school. This means performing one’s own work without improper assistance from others. If a university suspects that you have taken a shortcut or cheated to complete your work, they may conduct an investigation. When this happens, an Academic Dishonesty attorney can work with your university’s disciplinary board and and collaborate with subject matter experts to help you achieve the best outcome.

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These academic misconduct or academic dishonesty investigations usually lead to severe punishments that can range from a failing grade in the course, to expulsion. The loss of economic aid is also on the table in some cases, which can also put your degree in jeopardy.

If you have received notice that you are facing an investigation, you should contact an undergraduate academic misconduct lawyer. One of our diligent attorneys can help to explain your rights, prepare you for what will occur during the hearing, and gather the evidence necessary to protect your academic future. 

We are happy to take cases from across the country, no matter which college or university you attend.

 

Reasons Why a School May Pursue Academic Misconduct Charges

Every college and university requires its students to agree to abide by the college’s academic honor code. These codes define what counts as acceptable academic behavior and outlines the rights of students who allegedly violate these codes.

It is against university policy to cheat in any way on one’s assignments. This means a student must submit original work in their courses and only collaborate with other students when permitted by a professor. If an undergrad faces an allegation of cheating, it could have dire consequences for his or her academic future.

A violation that is more difficult to define is plagiarism. In these instances, a student is accused of not performing original work. Even if a student does not directly copy text from another source, it is sometimes possible to identify quotes or ideas that are lifted from elsewhere. However, parallel thinking and accidentally forgetting to properly cite sources are common errors. An attorney who specializes in undergraduate academic misconduct could help clarify what a school’s honor code should be used for and advocate for students whose mistake should not end their academic career.

Student taking a math test

Working to Protect the Due Process Rights of All Students

Even if a public university employs a strict academic honor code, students will still have certain protections because of due process. Due process describes the steps that a school must take to investigate the matter, as well as the procedures that it must follow when implementing a potential penalty. The accused student must be treated fairly and impartially.

The way in which an undergraduate academic misconduct lawyer is most valuable is in ensuring the university administration follows these procedures. For example, a lawyer could demand that a disciplinary committee handles evidence in a proper manner and allows a student or their advisor to ask questions and present their own evidence. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to due process because every school has its own procedures. Fortunately, KJK has represented student all across the United States, as well as internationally, so they have a record of providing quality representation within a diverse set of policy frameworks.

Contact an Undergraduate Academic Misconduct Attorney to Preserve Your Rights

Enrolling in a college or university comes with certain conditions. Among these is the agreement that you will do your own academic work and refrain from cheating and plagiarizing. If you are facing accusations of academic misconduct, you must understand your rights and the steps that the school will take if it wants to impose a penalty.

An undergraduate academic misconduct lawyer can provide much-needed help in light of these allegations. We can review the situation and bolster your case with evidence and impassioned advocacy. At the same time, we can ensure that the university engages in due process to protect your rights against a hasty or improper judgment. Contact KJK today to see how we can begin working for you.

Important to Know:

Cheating & Plagiarism

Allegations of cheating and plagiarism are skyrocketing due to virtual learning environments. If you’ve been accused of academic misconduct during this time, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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See What Our CLients are Saying

Testimonials

Enough cannot be said for how helpful KJK was ...

for me during my allegation process. Susan and Kristina were extremely knowledgeable and passionate toward my specific case. They consistently had steps of action to take in my defense and were extremely flexible when working with me. They helped prepare me, both mentally and emotionally, prior to my hearing. Thanks to their hard work, I now have my future back.”

– Successfully defended a pre-med undergraduate student for alleged cheating on a physics lab report and showed that the professor had made a critical error in basic mathematics

Susan and Kristina are great lawyers.

They helped me resolve an extremely difficult academic dishonesty accusation case against me at the university level. They had helpful ideas and were persistent in making sure my defense was the best it could be. They were creative in their way of utilizing outside resources that helped achieve a positive outcome. Good, prompt responses to my questions. I highly recommend them!

Other Top Questions:

Academic Misconduct
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Our experience with academic misconduct matters?

We have ten years of combined experience dealing with academic misconduct matters. Our cases are all very different, from students using an online platform to gain help during an examination, to failure to properly cite or attribute sources on a paper, to being caught looking over a classmate’s shoulder to gain an answer to a test question.

Further, we have represented the full gamut of students from undergraduate students to those seeking a doctoral degree. We understand that for all students, the stakes are very high when the integrity of a paper or test is being called into question.

How can I prove I didn't cheat?

Our practice has used many creative strategies to prove innocence. Many times, we seek an expert in a given field to look at test responses and compare responses to those of other students. We have also used computer science to show variability in test answers. Each type of allegation requires a different strategy. Our experience in past cases helps us shape the proper defense.

If I am found responsible for academic misconduct, will I be expelled?

Just because a student is found responsible for academic misconduct, doesn’t mean that expulsion is inevitable.

We help the accused student provide mitigating evidence to show that there were extenuating circumstances that should be considered when levying a punishment. By using skillful advocacy, we have seen various reductions of sanctions. We have also seen students be placed on a probationary period and after the time has expired, the probation notation was removed from the student’s academic transcript.

Do findings regarding academic misconduct appear on my transcript?

In our experience working with students, the discipline appears on the transcript and not the reasons for the discipline. For example, let’s say that a student was suspended for plagiarism. The transcript will reflect the suspension and will record either a failing grade in the relevant course and perhaps incompletes in the other courses not completed as a result of the suspension. The transcript will not state that there is plagiarism. However, if a student wants to transfer to another institution, the student will have to explain on an applications why there is discipline on the transcript.