How Criminal Cases Can Impact You as a College Student | Criminal Defense Lawyer, Wichita, KS

For a majority of students, college is the first time they are exposed to the trials and tribulations associated with living away from parental supervision. While it is expected you may make some poor decisions along the way, sometimes mistakes can result in criminal charges that may significantly impact your daily life. Our criminal defense lawyers in Wichita, Kansas, at the McConnell Law Firm, have years of experience defending against common college-related criminal cases, such as Driving Under the Influence (DUI), public intoxication, disorderly conduct, marijuana possession, assault, and battery, and have detailed how such charges can affect your status as a student. Find out what you need to know below!

Loss of Financial Aid or Scholarships

A criminal charge does not guarantee that your financial aid or scholarships will be jeopardized; however, some lenders may reduce or revoke your initial financial aid offer due to a recent criminal offense. Depending on your criminal background and the nature of the charge, you may be viewed as a less credit-worthy borrower, which can continue to impact your college career. If you are attending a university on a scholarship, the issuing institution may revoke your current scholarship or deny your renewal application.

Housing and Employment Difficulties

When applying for student housing or on-campus employment, you will likely be subjected to a background check, which will provide detailed information about your criminal history. While this is typically a more prominent issue for felony convictions, any run-in with law enforcement or criminal convictions can affect your chances of finding housing or gaining employment. When facing criminal charges, it’s best to consult with a skilled criminal defense lawyer in your area that can help get the case dismissed or work with prosecutors to find a solution that minimizes the long-term consequences as much as possible.

Suspension or Expulsion

Admissions officers may choose to rescind your admission after discovering a previous or pending criminal charge. Additionally, if you are currently enrolled in a four-year university or community college program, the measures taken against you can range from probation to suspension or expulsion, depending on the institution’s policies and the severity of the charges. Regardless of if your charge is eventually dismissed or reduced in court, your school disciplinary bodies may still take action against you, which is why our team at the McConnell Law Firm recommends partnering with a criminal defense lawyer who can not only navigate your case but can also help negotiate with school administrators when necessary.

Reputation Harm

Not only can a criminal charge impact your education, but it can also affect your eligibility to participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities. And, as with any other criminal charge, many college students are subjected to damaged reputations, shame, and embarrassment if their criminal case is made public.

Have You Been Accused?

If you have been charged in a criminal case, we encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm as soon as possible. While every case is different, and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting a Wichita criminal defense lawyer about the specifics of your case, it is always in your best interest to have a skilled attorney by your side from the beginning.

Our founding attorney, Jonathan W. McConnell, has years of experience speaking to college students at Wichita State University regarding campus-related issues such as date rape allegations and DUI scenarios and will work tirelessly to help keep your future bright!