Title IX affords protections to millions of students in educational systems around the country. However, it’s still a complex piece of legislation that’s hard to understand and sometimes hard to comply with.
When exactly is it appropriate to contact a Title IX attorney? And how can they help you navigate this legal niche?
The Basics of Title IX
Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States that has prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools and educational programs that receive any funding from the federal government. Essentially, if an educational institution gets money from the government, it is not allowed to discriminate against people in any way based on sex under this law.
According to the attorneys at SBBL Law, “Title IX compliance is very important for educational institutions. Not only does compliance lead to better outcomes and an improved reputation, but it can also save you significant time and money in potential legal complications.”
Potential Plaintiffs: When to Contact a Title IX Attorney
The plaintiff in a Title IX case is the person who has been discriminated against or harmed. It’s a good idea to contact a Title IX attorney if:
- You suspect you’ve been discriminated against or mistreated on the basis of sex. If you’re a student or if you’re otherwise affiliated with an educational facility, and you believe you’ve been discriminated against or mistreated on the basis of sex, it’s a good idea to talk to an attorney. They can help you decide the best way to move forward and support you if you choose to make a formal report.
- Your reports or complaints have been ignored. It’s especially important to contact an attorney if you have complained or formally reported sex-based discrimination to no avail. If you aren’t being taken seriously, or if you’re being prevented from following standard processes, an attorney can help you get the results you want.
- You need a sanity check. Sometimes, it’s not clear if what you’re experiencing is discrimination. In these ambiguous cases, an attorney can help you clear things up.
Potential Defendants: When to Contact a Title IX Attorney
As a potential defendant, i.e. an educational institution receiving funding from the federal government, it’s important to contact a Title IX attorney if:
- You have received a formal notification of an incident. If someone has formally reported sex-based discrimination at your institution, you need to hire legal counsel as soon as possible. They can help defend you in these types of cases.
- You have reason to believe discrimination is occurring. It’s also a good idea to hire an attorney if you have reason to believe that discrimination may be occurring at your institution. Expert legal counsel can help you decide the best ways to mitigate this moving forward.
- You don’t have an internal process for Title IX reports. If you don’t have any internal process for such formal reports, you need one. An attorney can help you design an effective one.
- You want to verify that you’re in full compliance. You may also want to hire an attorney to verify that you’re in compliance with this federal law.
The Typical Title IX Process
The typical Title IX process looks like this:
- Reporting. Everything starts with an official report. People can file official Title IX complaints with a designated faculty member, such as a counselor.
- Meeting with a coordinator. After the report is filed, the parties will typically meet with a Title IX coordinator. This official representative will begin preliminary investigations and attempt to find ways to rectify the situation.
- Supportive measures. Depending on the nature of the problem, supportive measures may be immediately deployed. For example, a student or faculty member may be temporarily withdrawn from the school.
- Investigations. After that, investigators will dig into the details of the case, verifying details and uncovering the full scope of potential issues.
- The hearing. After the investigations are complete, there will be a formal hearing. Depending on the nature of the problem and the complexity of the issues at stake, this could last several days.
- The results. At the close of the hearing, there will be a legal outcome. There may be sanctions against the offending parties, depending on the findings.
- Appeals. Most legal findings can be appealed, and the same is true in Title IX matters. Either party has the power to appeal if they believe the outcomes are not justified or if they believe that there were procedural mistakes affecting the outcome.
Title IX attorneys are available to help you, regardless of whether you’re a plaintiff or a defendant. The sooner you contact them, and the closer you follow their advice, the better your outcomes are going to be on either side.
