Jury Awards Six Figures to Accused Student for Title IX Kangaroo Court

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After a trial judge seemed to favor Boston College in a due-process lawsuit brought by a student accused of sexual assault, the student came out victorious Monday in his jury trial.

The jury awarded “John Doe” more than $100,000, according to the verdict form: just under $25,000 for lost tuition the semester of the disputed incident, and about $77,600 for lost income from a “set back” of one year from his planned start to law school.

An adjudication panel at the private college had struggled to reach a verdict in the proceeding against Doe, leading a senior administrator to discourage the panel from reaching “no finding.”

In the conclusion of their argument, in case the jury ruled in favor of Doe, college lawyers argued there was no economic harm done to Doe since he came back to school and finished his degree.

The verdict shows the new danger for colleges in facing juries, one expert told Inside Higher Ed.

Peter Lake, director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University, noted the steep jury award against Oberlin College for defaming a local bakery.

“Jury attitude has shifted, and it’s not going to be lost on people that the political dialogue of the day is clearly having an influence in the courtroom,” he said.

Article by Lexi Lonas Read more at The College Fix