4 Factors That Could Impact College Students With Criminal Charges

College students go through many life changes. They are often on their own for the first time. They must try to make responsible decisions. Their brains are still not yet fully developed. Mistakes happen; unfortunately, those mistakes could lead to criminal charges against them.

Criminal charges should always be taken seriously and can severely impact a college student's life. Besides the crime and the punishment for the crime, college students will go through many changes in their everyday lives. A defense attorney can help minimize the impact and the future trajectory of a student's life.

1. College Options

When a student has been charged with crimes, a university will often up an investigation of its own. Even before a student goes through a full trial, a university may make some drastic decisions based on the charges and where they took place. While the university waits for trial results, a student could get placed on academic probation.

Eventually, a student could get kicked out of college altogether. This could have a big impact on a student's future. Along with a court defense, a lawyer could help defend a student to the school board. If a student wants to remain with the same college, then they could appeal and follow through to ensure a student remains at the school.

If a student wants to transfer schools, then a lawyer can make sure their record is not tarnished and all of the credits transfer properly from one school to the next.

2. Career Options

Criminal charges could not only impact a student's academic career but could impact job choices as well. Along with attending school, a student may have had a job on campus or near the college. If forced to leave the college, then a student would likely have to leave their job as well. A major change could impact their income and look bad on a resume.

A defense lawyer can fight to keep criminal charges off a permanent record. As a student tries to change their life around, they could get denied jobs due to background checks. A defense lawyer fights to have charges lessened or dropped can make a big difference in the way a person makes income.

The criminal charges could impact the majors and career paths a person was on as well. For example, if a student had goals of becoming a school teacher, then criminal charges could derail the whole plan and make it a challenge to get any type of job in the educational field.

3. Relocation & Living Situation

If a student lives on campus when they face criminal charges, they could find themselves kicked off campus and without a place to live. Even if a university ultimately decides to let a student stay, their conduct policies for dorm rooms may allow the university to kick them out.

A defense lawyer can look over dorm agreements signed at the beginning of a school year and determine the best course of action for a student. In some cases, a student may need to find an apartment or other living situation nearby. The process could end up costing extra money and impact the way a student lives on a day-to-day basis.

If a student goes to a new college, they may not get approved for dorm housing and would have to find a different location to stay. In some cases, a student may have to attend a community college where no dorms or living quarters are offered.

4. Scholarships & Financial Aid

If a student received scholarships for college, then criminal charges could impact their eligibility and approval for scholarships. Once a student goes through the criminal process, a defense lawyer can help them recover and restore any scholarship funds.

For example, if a lawyer gets criminal charges dropped or a student is found not guilty, they could help appeal to different scholarship boards to reinstate the aid. As a student goes through a criminal case, they will have a lot of lost time based on the case proceedings. A student may also lose financial aid in the process.

A defense lawyer understands a student's reputation is on the line. With proper navigation through the court system, a lawyer can help a student move on from the incident and ensure they have the proper funds and resources set in place to get them through the journey.

If you have a student in your life who faces criminal charges, then contact us at Cohen Law Offices, LLC. Every decision matters in these sensitive cases, and you want to ensure your college student has the most protection and legal advice to ensure a poor decision does not ruin their future. Our lawyers have experience in all areas of criminal law and will help you find the best outcome for the student in your life.