The Secretary Of Education Of The United States announced several significant changes in Title IX regulations on 6th May 2020. The updates were included after a thorough review of the statements by advocates, students, school administrators, and others. Such changes aimed at offering a sound handling and judgment of the sexual assault claims on campuses, ascertaining that the accuser’s accounts undergo severe consideration and the accused can also undertake the protection offered by due process. One can learn about all these revised regulations in detail from a Texas Title IX attorney.
But some of the essential updates are mentioned below to make people aware of the latest changes:
Requirements For Cross-Examination:
The Updated provisions of Title IX offer the accused the right to engage the accusers in cross-examination. However, this is not done by the student but by the attorney who has been fired to protect the accused’s best interest.
Off-Campus Event Investigation:
Not all off-campus claims of sexual assault will be investigated by the university or college administrators. They would be concerned with only the incident that occurred at an official location that the educational institution had used.
Option For The Proof Standard:
Previously the cases of sexual assault were determined on the basis of the predominance of the evidence. But with the emergence of the new rule, the educational institution has the option to make a selection between the last option or a direct and convincing standard of evidence. Upon choosing anyone, the institution should follow it in all similar cases, no matter whether the accusation involves a faculty or a student.
The Case Of Overseas Allegations:
The requirements for overseas allegations have also been reformed. As per the new regulations, if the assault takes place outside the U.S. during the program of study abroad, the institution need not investigate the claim. However, the application of its policies is unrestricted and can be chosen by the school to undertake them.
Final Thoughts:
As the new regulations envision a fair system of justice both for the accuser and the accused, there have been several criticisms concerning the updated regulation that made the reporting procedure much more difficult for the survivors. However, irrespective of the complexity of the case, it is essential to contact a Title IX attorney as soon as the authority has notified one about the complaint.