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Cybercrimes on college campuses can often have severe consequences. They are taken incredibly seriously on university campuses and can result in both suspension and expulsion from the university. If you have found yourself facing a charge of cyber crime. It is pertinent that you contact an experienced Lubbock student cybercrime attorney as soon as possible. A knowledgeable student defense attorney can employ defenses that can help in reducing any charges you may be facing.
Defining a Cybercrime
A cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer or has some sort of cyber facet to it. There are many ways a cybercrime can occur. For example, a cybercrime involving intent is when someone gets into or hacks the computer. Another example is the illegal use of someone’s phone. Further, there can be illegal computer Internet access when someone uses the password of the person without permission. Cybercrimes arise on campus very similarly to how they arise in public. A student may have some sort of relationship with another person, and that student may have accesss to the person’s points of data such as a username, ID, and password to a specific account.
Severity of a Cybercrime
Cybercrime is unique because it is usually completely cloud-based. All of the applications, resources, and services being hacked are available through the Internet. Very often, there are no witnesses to this crime like there are in an assault or a drunk driving case. An individual may have a video with an assault or drunk driving case, but with a cybercrime there typically is no video footage. Another difference with cybercrimes is that there is often an emotional element.
In most cases, this is either between two people in a relationship, or two ex’s who were in a relationship. One of the most emotional factors in a college experience is an intimate relationship. When a relationship goes bad, it is very common to see that one person tries to blame the other person.
Common Charges
Some common cybercrimes can be defined as some sort of revenge porn. This may occur when a relationship has ended, and one party is posting sexual pictures that were taken during the relationship. These cases can be prosecuted extremely heavily, requiring the aid of a Lubbock student cybercrime attorney. There are other cases dealing with the posting of illegal content, but it is not as common.
Role of Social Media
Revenge porn, or things that a student would not want their parents to see, can be posted on all types of social media. While most of the mainstream social media, like Facebook and Twitter do not allow X-rated postings, there are a number of other websites and social media sites where these revenge porn pictures can be posted. This is increasingly prevalent. There are also cases of online stalking in Texas. There is both a stalking statute and a harassment statute preventing this sort of act. Both of these statutes are constantly updated to deal with electronics. Cases can include unwanted harassment such as e-mails or multiple texts. These charges can be effectively defended using the assistance of a student cybercrime attorney in Lubbock.
Benefits of an Attorney
When an issue comes up, there is both the criminal case and the university case. The university makes contact with the student informing them that they are accused of violating the student conduct code. A hearing is set for a specific date that the student must attend to discuss the issues.
When a student finds themselves wrongfully accused of a cybercrime, they should have a campus cybercrime lawyer on their side as soon as possible. This attorney will know how to issue subpoenas, address the paying issues that come with cellphone towers, triangulation, and the ability to track those signals. Sometimes, an attorney will find there is a lie or false statements that start to unwind through the use of technology. An attorney can pinpoint that the person, or the person’s cell phone was on the other side of the campus at the time. However, these are sometimes difficult to process because of the technology.
Benefits of an Attorney (Continued)
Many students believe that they can tell the administration what happened and everything will be okay. However, the student should know that anything that they say inside of this hearing or in this discussion is subject to being discovered by the District attorney’s office. The District attorney in Texas can then issue a subpoena. When the hearing or the discussion with a judicial office at the university is recorded, it is subject to being turned over to the district attorney. Students should understand that going in and saying they are sorry is not enough. It is not a criminal case, so a lawyer does not have the right to cross-examine the hearing officer. But they still have to reach a level to find the person responsible.
Any student who receives notification of a hearing related to the student code of conduct should contact a Lubbock student cybercrime lawyer to conduct an investigation about the presumed incident. The attorney can find out what happened, and more importantly what facts the university has. The attorney does the investigation and prepares the case just as if they are going to a trial in a criminal case. When preparing for the hearing, the attorneys know when they discover something that does not make sense. They may have evidence that can refute the claim. There is nothing that prevents an attorney from calling a witness or from having the administration interview a witness at the hearing.